Khamzat Chimaev isn’t one for sentimentality, as he gave a brutal response to the retirement of Gilbert Burns, the one fighter who gave ‘Borz’ his toughest fight in the UFC.
Chimaev and Burns locked horns in one of the greatest fights of 2023. Before they fought, Chimaev had been hit just single-digit times in his previous four UFC appearances, and ‘Durinho’ stood in his way as a litmus of sorts, a grizzled grappler-striker with bricks in his fists.
The fight delivered on all fronts, Chimaev tasted adversity for the first time, and Burns would bounce back with two wins before suffering one of the biggest falls from grace in UFC history. The Brazilian icon retired at UFC Edmonton earlier this year, on the back of five straight losses.
Khamzat Chimaev reacts to Gilbert Burns’ retirement
Some might expect Chimaev to emphasize with Burns, with whom he shed blood in their barn-burner fight. However, speaking to Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Chimaev gave a rather brutal reaction to Burns’ retirement.
“I asked Khamzat Chimaev earlier today for his thoughts on Gilbert Burns announcing his retirement,” Bronsteter wrote on X. “His reply: ‘I told him before the fight that he’s never going to be the same fighter anymore and he never has been.'”
Khamzat Chimaev makes first title defense at UFC 328
Taking the middleweight belt from Dricus Du Plessis in August last year, Chimaev is finally set to defend his belt for the first time. Standing opposite ‘Borz’ this weekend in Newark, New Jersey, is brash-mouthed Sean Strickland, gunning for his second championship reign.
The two fighters have traded barbs all fight week, creating an air of tension that suits a fight of this magnitude. However, Chimaev allayed any fears of violence breaking out during a blog episode with Adam Zubayraev on YouTube.
“That loudmouth [Strickland] talks too much, but nothing is going to happen,” Chimaev remarked.
“How are you supposed to fight with hundred people around? What emotions? We’ll show our emotions in the cage. I came here to make money. I moved past that unprofessional stage long time ago. I hope he steps in the cage, we both perform well, recover well too. Hopefully we’ll put a great fight for you guys.”
Who else is fighting at UFC 328?
UFC 328 trundles on with 13 fights, featuring two title fights, set to kick off at 5 pm ET this Saturday, subject to change.
- (c) Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland; middleweight title
- (c) Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira; flyweight title
- Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta; heavyweight
- Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley; welterweight
- King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens; lightweight
- Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz; middleweight
- Joel Alvarez vs. Yaroslav Amasov; welterweight
- Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki; lightweight
- Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon; lightweight
- Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio; middleweight
- Pat Sabatini vs. William Gomis; featherweight
- Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Djorden Santos; middleweight
- Clayton Carpenter vs. Jose Ochoa; flyweight
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