Gilbert Burns is pulling out all the stops ahead of UFC 273.
Burns returns to action when he takes on Khamzat Chimaev in a welterweight contest at UFC 273 next weekend.
The Brazilian will undoubtedly be Chimaev’s biggest test yet. But despite the experience and credentials of Burns, he is a heavy betting underdog against the hype train of Chimaev.
Not that Burns minds too much, as he plans on making a statement against Chimaev to potentially stake another claim at a title shot.
“Whoever the UFC puts in front of me, I’ll fight. I wanted to fight with Colby [Covington], but he had a fight, so Khamzat was the only one that wanted to fight. I know he’s a big risk and he’s No. 11 and very tough, but if I want to be champion, I need to fight everyone.
“I’m following the example of Glover Teixeira and Charles Oliveira. I need to fight everyone. He’s tough and a big risk, but I still want to fight him.”
Gilbert Burns Provides Inside Look At Strength And Conditioning Prep
While Burns isn’t to be looked down on, Chimaev is certainly the biggest and most physical opponent he will have faced in the UFC.
And “Durinho” is doing all he can to make sure he is ready for that physicality as he recently provided a behind-the-scenes look at his intense strength and conditioning preparation at The Institute of Human Performance.
You can watch it below:
Burns bounced back from his TKO defeat to Kamaru Usman in their welterweight title fight last year with a unanimous decision win over Stephen Thompson. Overall, he is 5-1 in the welterweight division.
Chimaev, meanwhile, is 10-0 and coming off an impressive first-round submission victory over Li Jingliang last year. Many feel a win over Burns would not only solidify him as a genuine top contender, but also assure him of the next shot at Usman.
