Gilbert Burns praises Belal Muhammad for his victory

Gilbert Burns' UFC 288 performance did not go how he had hoped. Nevertheless, he only has positive things to say about Belal Muhammad.

Burns was one of the few fighters in history to participate in the co-main event on back-to-back pay-per-views after making an absurdly quick turnaround to meet Muhammad.

After competing in three complete rounds against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287, "Durinho" returned to the ring for a five-round match against the No. 4 welterweight in the world only three short weeks later.

Gilbert Burns may have been harmed by this short turnaround, as Belal Muhammad defeated him in Newark, New Jersey, in a decision.

Additionally, his unusually bad performance in the fight appeared to be partially attributed to a shoulder ailment that was discussed between rounds between the Brazilian and his camp.

Fans of Burns shouldn't be surprised to learn that despite the unfortunate outcome, Burns was very respectful and humble after the fight. The following morning, he honored his UFC 288 opponent by posting a vintage photo of him and his children smiling with Muhammad on Twitter.

Burns deserves a break after battling three times in the past four months. When he does return, it will be interesting to watch what his next move is.