Herbert Burns, brother of Gilbert Burns, believes Khamzat Chimaev is not experienced enough to tackle adversity inside the octagon.
The younger Burns brother, who competes in the featherweight division of the UFC, recently said that 'Borz' has never been knocked down or taken down in a fight. So, he doesn't know how to react in such a situation. On the other hand, 'Durinho' is an experienced campaigner, which might play against Chimaev.
Here's what Herbert Burns said in an interview with Ag. Fight:
"I think it will happen by knockout or submission. I know the fans will say I'm crazy. Khamzat is tough, but he doesn't know how he reacts to a knockdown, to having his back to the ground, to walking backwards. He put pressure on all his opponents and ended the fight. But 'Durinho' is experienced, he has a very high-level jiu-jitsu, heavy hands... 'Durinho' will put pressure, end this fight and shut this guy up." [translated by Google]
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Watch Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev face off ahead of UFC 273:
Many believe that Burns has a lot to lose in this fight as he's currently ranked No.2 in the welterweight division. Chimaev, on the other hand, is No.11. However, Herbert Burns thinks that not many people are willing to fight 'Borz' and 'Durinho' is ready to take that risk. The 34-year-old added:
"They say that 'Durinho' has a lot to lose and little to gain in this fight, because he's No.2 against No.11. But a lot of top people don't want to fight [Chimaev] and ['Durinho'] accepted the challenge because you want to be champion. Chimaev has a lot of hype, so if ‘Durinho’ does the right job, he will end the fight and it will be indisputable that he will be the next to [fight for] the belt.”
Gilbert Burns is the underdog heading into his UFC 273 fight against Khamzat Chimaev
Despite having massive experience under his belt and fighting for the title before, Gilbert Burns is the underdog in his bout this weekend. Chimaev has been absolutely dominant in his short UFC stint so far.
Watch Khamzat Chimaev talk to the UFC ahead of the pay-per-view:
The Chechen-born Swede has absorbed only one significant strike in his four UFC fights so far. Whether he can put on another dominant performance against an elite welterweight like Gilbert Burns this weekend at UFC 273 remains to be seen.