Khamzat Chimaev has offered a bold prediction for his UFC 273 fight against Gilbert Burns.
Chimaev vs. Burns is a highly-anticipated fight and one that many view as the people’s main event. Chimaev is 10-0 as a pro and 4-0 in the UFC, but will get the toughest test of his career when he faces Burns.
Although Chimaev is facing the second-ranked welterweight, the Swede is a sizeable favorite and many pros are picking him to win. However, others still believe Burns can pose ‘Borz’ problems with his knockout power and jiu-jitsu. In the case of Khamzat Chimaev, he doesn’t just expect to win, but says he will KO the Brazilian in under a minute.
“I’m gonna smash that guy, knock him out, one minute (or) less, I promise you. He’s (a) little boy, scared boy,” Chimaev said at the UFC 273 press conference. “I said to him yesterday, show his power, he couldn’t show that, he say I show you Saturday and he turned around.”
If Khamzat Chimaev does KO Gilbert Burns in under a minute as he says, there’s no question that would earn him a title shot. However, he recently spoke about his desire to fight Colby Covington, but whether or not the UFC would book that fight is uncertain.
This is also not the first time Chimaev has said Burns is too small and weak for him. It’s something he believes will be a big advantage for him come Saturday night in Jacksonville.
“I am the champ, I am the king, I am the best ever, better than everybody. Smash everybody, nobody’s like me,” Chimaev said as he was training in a video posted to BlockAccess, his sponsor’s, YouTube channel. “They’re too slow, coach, the guys too slow, too weak, coach. I am too strong for them, too fast, coach. I have conditioning with no limit, limited edition condition, my right hand coach, broke the mountains.”
Do you think Khamzat Chimaev will finish Gilbert Burns in under a minute as he says?