"I'm gonna win this fight and I don't think it's gonna be by decision" - Gilbert Burns makes bold prediction for fight with Khamzat Chimaev
Gilbert Burns faces fast-rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273 on April 9, and the hype for Chimaev is so hot that sportsbooks have him as a -500 favorite to Burns' +400 underdog status. Those are some pretty wide odds, especially considering Burns' sole defeat over the past four years came at the hands of welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.
In an interview with Chisanga Malata, Gilbert Burns described what it was like to be overlooked as a legit threat to Chimaev and how he thought their fight would go. He said:
"The media, the fans, the odds, I couldn't care as much, so. Sometimes it's good to be under the radar. But to be honest it's not even that, the case. I'm just focused on my performance, to go out and do my best against a tough guy. And I do believe I'm gonna win this fight and I don't think it's going to be by decision. I think it's going to be a finish."
Spoke to Gilbert Burns (@GilbertDurinho) about his UFC 273 showdown with Khamzat Chimaev.
He’s not paying attention to what fans, media members and oddsmakers are saying about the bout and is confident he’ll “finish” Chimaev.
A snippet of our chat. https://t.co/bUGkC2Vxr3
Khamzat Chimaev has been on a tear since arriving in the UFC in 2020. The 27-year-old went 3-0 in 2020, competing three times in just over two months. A bad case of COVID-19 sidelined Chimaev until October 2021 where he returned with a quick first round submission win over Li Jingliang. Across his four UFC fights, he has absorbed just two significant strikes.
Burns isn't afraid of the Big Bad Wolf 🐺 https://t.co/evzK1vgK7A
Gilbert Burns went on a 6-0 run to earn his title shot against Kamaru Usman in February 2021. While Colby Covington has come closest to beating Usman by decision, Burns had Usman in serious trouble when he caught the champ with an overhand right in the first round.
While Burns would ultimately get TKO'd in the third round, the fight confirmed he has the power to hurt any welterweight.
Gilbert Burns has brought in Russian wrestling specialists to prepare for Khamzat Chimaev
At this point in MMA history, Russian wrestling is just as feared as Brazilian jiu jitsu was when the UFC first started. Fighters from Dagestan and Chechnya have made careers off dragging their opponents down and beating them up.
Knowing this is one of Chimaev's key gameplans, Gilbert Burns has enlisted the help of Chimaev's countrymen to help him prepare for UFC 273.
On a recent episode of Trocacao Franca (translation via MMA Fighting), Gilbert Burns said:
“I had to hire two wrestlers, two very tough Russians who are helping me daily. They asked to keep their names a secret, and I had to [agree], because they are showing me a lot of stuff, changing a lot of stuff in my game."
Khamzat Chimaev reacted to that news by claiming Burns was clearly 'stressed' by his wrestling abilities.