ABU DHABI – Gilbert Burns has expertise hitting the mats with each Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.
Middleweight champion Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) defends his title towards Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) within the UFC 319 headliner on Aug. 16 from United Middle in Chicago (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
Burns gave Chimaev arguably his hardest check up to now when he pushed him to the brink in an all-out struggle at UFC 273. The previous title challenger has additionally skilled with Du Plessis earlier than, so was in a position to give perception on their championship battle.
“It is a very powerful battle,” Burns instructed MMA Junkie. “Dricus is a monster. I skilled so much with Dricus when he was at Arduous Knocks, unbelievably sturdy for that division, very massive too, loopy gasoline tank. He seems drained, you have a look at him, ‘Oh, he is getting drained,’ however he is not. Hits very arduous, does each stances, grappling protection is get so much higher. I feel proper now he’ll deal with that to not get submitted.
“And guess what? If Chimaev does not end him within the first, or give him another spherical, the second spherical, I do not assume he can. I feel it’ll be an extended evening, and Dricus can maintain coming, maintain coming. He will get stronger because the rounds are going. The man does not give up, he does not break so, I received to go together with Dricus on that one.”
Though Chimaev has opted for a special look this camp by working with Sam Calavitta for his energy and conditioning, Burns does not see it making a distinction.
“He simply received within the U.S. three, 4 weeks in the past, I do not assume it’ll be sufficient,” Burns mentioned. “Perhaps even pushing too arduous proper now, it could be breaking him. Once I noticed that I mentioned perhaps, however once I noticed the timing, I do not assume so. I feel Dricus is successful that one.”
