Khamzat Chimaev has verbally agreed to face the former top-ranked welterweight contender in 2022
Surging UFC superstar Khamzat Chimaev looks set to face former welterweight number one Gilbert Burns after the two 170lbs warriors verbally committed to a forthcoming showdown in a social media exchange.
Undefeated superstar Chimaev has been near-faultless in his four Octagon outings, landing a total of 254 strikes while absorbing just two on a run which has seen him move from MMA obscurity to one of the most highly-touted prospects in the sport’s history. The Chechen-born Swede could be set for an uptick in competition in his next outing after agreeing on social media to a contest against Brazilian submission machine Gilbert Burns, the three-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion who unsuccessfully challenged Kamaru Usman for the world title in February 2021.
Let's go! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/cXkGvsevVm
— Jordan Ellis (@JordanEllisUK) January 7, 2022
The 27-year-old Chimaev published a screengrab of a conversation he had with Burns to his social media accounts showing what appeared to be a very cordial exchange between the two in which Burns first suggests they fight in May, before electing for a date on April 9.
Chimaev published the image with a handshake emoji which also featured his reply: “Yes, brother – let’s go”.
The UFC has an event scheduled for New York’s Barclay’s Center on April 9 which doesn’t yet have any high profile fights attached, although it is certain that Burns’ testing of Chimaev’s credentials would be one of the most interesting bouts on any card UFC matchmakers might assemble.
