Former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns believes Conor McGregor would get destroyed if he jumped up to 170 pounds.
Gilbert Burns Believes Conor McGregor Gets Destroyed At Welterweight
There has been a lot of talk about what the next move for McGregor will be once he returns from healing his injury.
McGregor broke his leg his last time out against Dustin Poirier and isn’t expected back until later this year or early 2023.
Since his departure, McGregor has been teasing a potential jump up to 170 pounds with title aspirations.
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Burns offered his take on the possibility. He said that, if McGregor fights anyone in the top five, he’ll get destroyed.
“If you’re talking about the top five in the world, everybody hits hard except Colby [Covington] but everybody can wrestle,” Burns said. “Colby can wrestle.
“Colby and Conor is not fun cause Colby would just outwrestle him. Kamaru [Usman], he can hit hard and he can wrestle.
“Khamzat [Chimaev], he can hit hard and he can wrestle. Leon Edwards, he can hit very hard, good striking and can wrestle.
“I hit hard and can wrestle so don’t say you’re a welterweight. You can’t handle the top five guys in that division.
“You can fight a couple of guys at 170 but he’s not a welterweight. If he really thinks [he is], try some top five [fighters] in that division.
“I think it’s not fair. We’d just destroy Conor.”
Burns certainly has a good feel for the top of the welterweight division. He’s faced the likes of Damian Maia, Tyron Woodley, Kamaru Usman, Stephen Thompson, and Khamzat Chimaev.
The Brazilian is currently the No. 4-ranked welterweight in the division. As for McGregor, he has had a rough go of it inside the Octagon as of late.
“Notorious” hasn’t won since November of 2016 at lightweight. His last victory took place at welterweight against Donald Cerrone in January of 2020.
He’s currently on a two-fight losing streak, both TKO losses to Dustin Poirier.
