Gilbert Burns didn’t pick up the win at UFC 273 over Khamzat Chimaev, but he showed fans that Chimaev isn’t unstoppable in the Octagon.
Burns and Chimaev earned ‘Fight of the Night’ honors following their three-round bloodbath at UFC 273. After fifteen minutes of nonstop action on the feet and ground, Chimaev earned a unanimous decision win on the judges’ scorecards.
Chimaev was the big betting favorite entering his showdown with UFC 273, but Burns arguably came very close to spoiling Chimaev’s night. Some of his UFC colleagues, including Ian Garry, believe Burns did enough to win the fight in Rounds 1 and 3.
Despite the loss, Burns is keeping his head up as he moves forward in his pursuit of UFC gold. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Burns gave an inside look at what it was like competing against the upstart Chimaev.
“I think he hits pretty hard. I was expecting a little bit more wrestling,” Burns admitted. “Like I said before, I have a ton of respect for this guy, but I don’t see no Superman, I don’t see no murderer, no monster. I see a guy just like me, with a lot of will, a lot of heart, trying to get a finish… I don’t think he’s the monster that people (said he was). I just showed that he’s human. But the guy’s a warrior, too. But yeah, I just see another tough guy, nothing different than the other guys that I was facing.”
Chimaev could have a matchup with Colby Covington next on his to-do list, as UFC President Dana White teased recently. Before the loss to Chimaev, Burns earned an impressive win over former title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 264.
Burns earned a lot of respect from the fans for his performance at UFC 273. Despite suffering from the jaws of defeat, Burns proved that everyone can be beaten, including top prospects like Chimaev.
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Continue Reading Burns: I Showed Chimaev Isn’t The Monster People Thought He Was at MMA News.