Gilbert Burns wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev again, but this time, for five rounds.
Burns and Chimaev fought back at UFC 273 and it was Chimaev who won by decision in one of the best fights of the year. It was a true test for Chimaev and although he got his hand raised, the Brazilian knows he did the Swede a favor by taking the fight so he hopes Chimaev would return it and do a rematch over five rounds in the next three fights.
“The way I see it too, is that we’re not done,” Burns told TSN. “I do believe we’re not done. For sure he moves forward in the rankings and they want to make that Colby (Covington) fight. But the way I see it, I’m not afraid to fight anyone in this division. Time and time again I’ve proved it. … I just want one thing back from Khamzat, I want the courtesy.
“I was No. 2 and I fought No. 11. I want a rematch with Khamzat. If he beats Colby, he’s going to fight Kamaru and I just want my rematch in his next three fights,” Burns continued. “I want my rematch and I believe we’re not done and one guy needs to get a finish. It’s just a fight that should’ve been five rounds. It should be more rounds and I think we kind of missed out a little bit on this fight.”
Had the fight been five rounds, perhaps the result is different, but it is something we will never know. Along with that, Gilbert Burns says he asked for the fight to be five rounds but the UFC didn’t want it due to there being two title fights already.
“When they offered me this fight, I asked for five rounds,” Burns said. ” They sent me the contract and fought with Ali (Abdelaziz). I was like, ‘F*ck, I don’t want these three rounds, I want five rounds.’ (Abdelaziz said) ‘Oh, but they have these two title fights.’ And I said, ‘I don’t care, then make another one. I want five rounds.’ We went back and forth with the UFC and it ended up being three rounds. The fight was crazy entertaining, but I think if it was five rounds it would be way more entertaining.”
