One fight-of-the-year worthy performance against Khamzat Chimaev wasn’t enough for UFC welterweight Gilbert Burns. Burns, who earned himself a win bonus despite losing via decision to the surging Swedish fighter, is already chomping at the bit for another shot at Khamzat, telling MMAFighting that this time it should be for a twenty-five minute main event.
“I asked [my manager] Ali [Abdelaziz] ‘hey, why three rounds?’ No, I’m fighting this guy.’ I’m giving him a courtesy. I’m the No. 2 [ranked] fighter, he’s No. 11. Give me five rounds. But it didn’t happen.
Burns Demands Five Round Khamzat Rematch
I requested it and I requested it a couple of times, Ali, too. I don’t know if because of the two title fights maybe, I don’t know. I didn’t get an answer.
The way I see it, we’ve got to do it again. It’s got to be five rounds next. A lot of respect to Khamzat. Once again, I don’t want to take nothing away from this guy. I have no excuse. I went into a battle. I leave my heart in there. The guy hurt me a couple of times, I kept moving forward. I keep trying to fight.
I like him. Every time we go to these fights, we leave a piece of ourselves in there but I knew that going into this fight, this guy would be very, very tough. Not the monster. No way that guy would have an easy fight and finish me in the first round. But he ended up getting the win so I have to give a lot of respect to this guy.”
Burns continued, pointing out exactly where he went wrong in failing to secure victory at UFC 273. “I watched the fight a couple of times. A lot of things that I trained I didn’t do, as in training. I should have thrown a little bit more calf kicks and whenever he switched stances, the right kick was there.
So much happening. I didn’t move my head at all but I think it was a good performance. I think I put on a show for the fans. I think he was very tough, too. He won the first round with the little knockdown that I had.
A freaking knockdown, the guy changed southpaw, that happens sometimes when they change southpaw. I eat that jab and that was a very hard jab and he put me down.
I won the second round and I feel I threw a lot of bombs in the last round.” With Khamzat Chimaev seemingly gunning for Colby Covington, and the welterweight title after that, Gilbert Burns might have to wait his turn.
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