When Khamzat Chimaev beat Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in April, Dana White said the plan was for Chimaev to fight Colby Covington on the UFC’s next ABC card later this year. It made a ton of sense, and all signs pointed that way. However, Burns doesn’t think Covington will accept the fight.
Colby won’t accept
On a recent episode of Food Truck Diaries w/ Brendan Schaub, Burns and Schaub discussed the possibility of the fight not happening for a couple of reasons.
That [fight] is supposed to be it. I think that’s the next step, if I was a promotor, that’s the fight I would make. I just don’t think Colby will accept,” Burns said. “I think Colby is a little messed up from the sucker punch. I think. Yeah, his tooth and the whole thing. I don’t think he’ll be ready for July. If he is, then it is going to be a fight.”
Money Issues?
Schaub believes Covington wants more money, which might hold up the fight with Chimaev.
“You know Chael [Sonnen] is close with Colby and I was talking with Chael, he doesn’t think it’s going to happen because of contractual issues. Colby wants the same pay as a Jorge Masvidal, and all those big boys in the UFC. I don’t know whether it happens. I hope he gets paid, I hope all you guys get paid,” Schaub said. “I don’t know if the UFC is gonna figure it out in time for that ABC card…If I’m Colby, after watching you fight Chimaev, making him look human, where he’s never looked human, I’m going ‘oh yeah, I’m down for five rounds. I’ll do that.'”
Gilbert’s list
No one knows if Covington and Chimaev will fight this summer. But hopefully, they do. As for Burns, he wants to get right back to action like he always does. The No. 4 ranked welterweight met with the UFC brass after his fight at UFC 273 and gave them a list of who he wants next. Oh, and it’s a good list.
“My list is Nate and Nick [Diaz], that’s the number one. Masvidal, [Dustin] Poirier, I throw everybody in that list. I put Conor [McGregor], I put Colby on the list,” Burns said. So, that’s the list, but I will still fight anyone. If no one on this list is available…then I will fight Belal [Muhammad] -he’s not my first option but I will fight anyone.”
Any of those fights are incredible for Burns, and when he says he will fight anyone, he isn’t lying.
