I’ll make Masvidal ‘suffer’ – Burns explains push for five-rounder

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Despite Jorge Masvidal’s rejection, Gilbert Burns still wants a five-round fight for their co-headliner at UFC 287. Gilbert Burns has been calling for…


MMA: JAN 21 UFC 283
Photo by Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Despite Jorge Masvidal’s rejection, Gilbert Burns still wants a five-round fight for their co-headliner at UFC 287.

Gilbert Burns has been calling for a five-round fight against Jorge Masvidal for their co-headliner at UFC 287. “Gamebred,” however, shut it down while asking to be paid with “BMF money.”

“I already got my contract. I already signed my shit. I could give a f–k less,” Masvidal said. “Three rounds is more than enough that I need for Gilbert. I like all the publicity and extra that he’s putting into it, but brother, three rounds is all I need for that.”

Burns recently got to speak with MMA Fighting, and he still wants that five-round clash.

“For sure, it’s a disappointment. I’m still waiting on the UFC. We’re talking with the UFC — if they say, ‘We don’t think so,’ I’m going to say please, come on. I don’t ask for much. I just want five rounds.

“You guys did five rounds for Leon Edwards and Nate [Diaz], you guys did five rounds on other occasions. Why not? I’m pushing, but we’re still waiting.

“It’s very hard when one guy says no – it’s very hard for the UFC to say yes. So we’ll see. I would love to have that [‘BMF’] title in place and five rounds for sure because I just think I’m going to destroy this guy.”

Burns feels more guaranteed for a finish with those two extra rounds. But with the three rounds to work with, he vows to make his opponent suffer.

“Three rounds, I’m going to make that guy suffer so much in three rounds that it should be enough, but five rounds just guarantees a finish. If the fight is five rounds, I’ll finish, but if he don’t want it, it’s all good.”

UFC 287 happens on April 4th. Headlining the event is the middleweight title rematch between champion Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya.