Gilbert Burns is ready to take the Baddest Motherf—ker (BMF) title from Jorge Masvidal.
It was announced by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, last week (Jan. 27, 2023) that Burns is finally getting his wish of facing Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287 on April 8, 2023. “Durinho” is preparing for a three-round battle with “Gamebred,” but ultimately hopes for an upgrade to five rounds. Ideally, it would be a BMF title defense for Masvidal, which the promotion has yet to get back to Burns on.
“Having that belt, I think the true fans know I’m not trying to put myself on a different level from everybody,” Burns told MMA Fighting. “I think we’re all humans, we’re the same, but I’m different. I fight anyone. I think I’m the BMF in the division and the whole UFC. I fight anyone.
“I fought Khamzat [Chimaev], I fought Neil Magny,” he continued. “I fought ‘Wonderboy’ [Stephen Thompson]. Those guys call me, ‘You want to fight Wonderboy, and Wonderboy was [ranked] No. 5. I don’t care. I remember they called me not too long ago you want to fight the Russian dude, who is 20-0, I said yes. Do you want to go to Denmark to fight Gunnar Nelson in two weeks? Yeah, I’ll go. I think I’m way more BMF than these guys.”
Burns will enter the bout with Masvidal fresh off a big first-round arm-triangle choke submission (watch highlights) over Magny at UFC 283 this past month (Jan. 21, 2023). For Masvidal, the collision will be his first since extending his third consecutive loss thanks to a unanimous decision setback against Colby Covington (watch highlights).
According to Burns, there were some other options thrown his way aside from Magny for his Brazil homecoming.
“I respect this guy — he’s a beast,” Burns said of Masvidal. “Over 50 fights, fought in the backyard, the whole story. I respect Masvidal. Nothing against him. My only issue was I just hope these lies — these guys [need to tell the truth], ‘When the UFC offered me the fight, I said no,’ because everybody is playing games. ‘Oh, the fight was never offered.’ These things bother me a little bit.
“Belal Muhammad said I ducked him,” he continued. “I never ducked that guy. He ducked fighting me in Brazil. The fight was offered to him officially, and he turned it down. He don’t want to fight me. I just wish the whole MMA community would tell the truth about these things. I never say no to a fight. The Masvidal fight was offered to me three times. Belal Muhammad was offered and he said no.”