"You are in big trouble now" - Khamzat Chimaev lands in Las Vegas, sends Gilbert Burns a warning
UFC star Khamzat Chimaev has issued a warning to Gilbert Burns heading into their upcoming showdown.
For the better part of a few months, Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns have wanted to fight each other. It makes sense for Chimaev to fight a top-five individual, whereas Burns wants to get back to a title shot himself.
'Borz' hasn't been tested at this kind of level yet, and Burns is the perfect opponent to welcome him to the big time. While the fight isn't explicitly a No. 1-contender clash, a big finish for either man could certainly open the eyes of champion Kamaru Usman.
Every MMA fan is intrigued by this match-up and now, Chimaev has taken his preparations to the next level by flying out to the United States. In a recent Twitter post, the Chechen-born Swede had an ominous message for Burns:
"You are in big trouble now @GilbertDurinho"
You are in big trouble now @GilbertDurinho 🤪 https://t.co/5MfkzwXQUI
While it's purely speculation, the fact that he's landed in Las Vegas may suggest that Chimaev is heading to the UFC Performance Institute.
Burns will continue his own training camp at Sanford MMA, knowing that there are lots of fighters and fans out there believing Chimaev is the next big thing.
When is Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev?
The UFC is yet to officially add Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev to the April 9 pay-per-view card. However, as per UFC president Dana White, that date is indeed when the fight will take place.
The UFC 273 event will go down at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The arena marked an important milestone for the UFC last year when it hosted the first event with a full crowd in attendance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burns' last fight took place in July 2021 at UFC 264, where he managed to defeat Stephen Thompson via a unanimous decision. Chimaev's most recent encounter was at UFC 267, where he submitted Li Jingliang with relative ease.
UFC 273 is also scheduled to feature two title fights. Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against 'The Korean Zombie', while Aljamain Sterling will defend his bantamweight strap in a rematch with Petr Yan.