Gilbert Burns Feared Title Shot Would Go To Khamzat Chimaev

Gilbert Burns was unsure if he’d get the next welterweight title shot.

Burns is currently set to take on welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 258 on February 13 after it was recently reported again that both fighters had verbally agreed to the fight.

Of course, Burns was set to face Usman back at UFC 251 in July only for a positive COVID-19 test to rule him out of the fight with less than a week to go.

The title fight was expected to be rescheduled for December at UFC 256 only for it to be off again as Usman required more time before competing.

All these delays along with the rise of Khamzat Chimaev in the welterweight division who was set to face Leon Edwards next made Burns wary about whether he would get the next title shot.

Luckily for him, that will be the case after all.

“Thank God he closed this fight,” Burns told AG Fight (via BJ Penn). “They had already sent me that date, so it was a matter of the contract getting done, but now it is official. ‘Countdown’ has already come here to my home, so it’s guaranteed to happen.

“I was training a lot and afraid this fight would slip into the hands of Khamzat (Chimaev) or something would happen. I think (this delay) was more of a UFC move, I don’t know, you’re seeing it as much with (Jorge) Masvidal or Colby (Covington). I don’t know if it was something like that either. Now it is time to continue training and we are going to win this title.”

Burns was right to be fearful as it’s very clear the UFC is high on Chimaev and the promotion has been known to skip over contenders in the past. Fortunately, the same won’t happen to Burns who is more than deserving of the shot.

“Durinho” is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over former champion Tyron Woodley in May and is unbeaten in four since moving up to welterweight in 2019.

Do you think Burns will come out on top against Usman?