Not only is Gilbert Burns one of the best welterweights on the planet, he’s also an excellent coach of rising talent.
Undefeated Bellator heavyweight Steve Mowry has been working under the tutelage of Burns, who believes he has the skills to become a champion in the near future.
“He’s already my brown belt and he’s about to get his black belt,” Burns recently told MMA Junkie at Bellator 271. “He’s freakin’ good. He’s very good on top and bottom, great takedowns. He’s a good all-around, very well-rounded fighter and I think he’s going to be Bellator champion very soon. He’s that good.”
Mowry (10-0), a massive 6-foot-8 heavyweight, is light on his feet and has the athleticism of a man much smaller. According to Burns, Mowry likes to roll with smaller guys, which initially happened out of necessity because of a lack of available training partners his size.
At Bellator 271, Mowry flashed his slick ground game by tapping Rakim Cleveland with a kimura in the first round, securing his 10th professional victory. Mowry has finished every fight of his career thus far, with six of his wins coming by submission.
Burns and Mowry’s relationship goes back to the days of The Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Fla., when the heavyweight was a training partner for the likes of Vitor Belfort, Tyrone Spong, and other world-class fighters at the gym.
“When Anthony Johnson fought for the UFC title he was there,” Burns said. “He got a lot of experience. He’s still very young. A lot of potential. … I think he’s going to be a Bellator champion very soon.”
After his win over Cleveland, Mowry set his sights on rebooking a previously scheduled fight against Marcelo Golm, a UFC veteran who now fights under the Bellator banner.
Watch Burns talk about Mowry in the video above, and check out the full interview in the video below.
Coach Gilbert Burns sees Bellator’s Steve Mowry as future heavyweight champ: ‘He’s that good’