Gilbert Burns understands the excruciating pain of defeat. But perhaps more importantly, he knows how to put that suffering to good use.
A decade before he was a UFC title challenger, the Brazilian was considered one of the top grapplers in the world. Then, as a black belt, he came up short in his first bid to claim a gold medal at the prestigious World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. He returned one year later to win his category in no-gi competition before taking home gold in 2011.
It was a valuable lesson for Burns, and one he recalls now that he’s walking a similar path after coming up short in his first bid to become UFC champion.