UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns isn’t sure whether or not to 100% trust that a win over Khamzat Chimaev will earn him a title shot.
Burns will square off with the rising star Chimaev at UFC 273. He is coming off of an impressive win over Stephen Thompson at UFC 264 and is looking to get back into the welterweight title chase.
During a recent interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Burns explained why he doesn’t fully trust White’s recent comments about his Chimaev fight being for a No. 1 contender spot.
“Yeah, but Dana also said that women (are) never gonna fight MMA,” Burns said. “He said a lot of things that I respect that when you have one opinion, but later on, you change it. And it can change. We will see. I think everything is about performance. I gotta go there and get a finish, and then I can have a title shot. But it’s all about performance. If the fight (ends) up being boring or being not what people expect, for sure we gotta do one more fight.”
Burns’ thoughts on White aren’t exactly far-fetched. White has repeatedly pivoted on various UFC-related issues, including his once unmistakable enthusiasm about getting into boxing.
White also hinted at “very good” chances that Nate Diaz will get a new UFC contract but was later contradicted by Diaz on social media. He has also switched stances repeatedly on a potential super-fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Henry Cejudo.
Burns is looking to earn another shot at the welterweight title after losing to Kamaru Usman at UFC 258. Before that, he earned dominant wins over the likes of Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.
Chimaev has surged into the welterweight title picture following an undefeated run in the UFC. He most recently defeated Li Jingliang at UFC 267.
Burns will look to force White and the UFC’s hand with an impressive win and potentially another welterweight title shot next.
What is your prediction for Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev?
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