LAS VEGAS – Gilbert Burns is not going to let his most recent setback stop him from achieving his dream.
The UFC welterweight contender returns to the cage this Saturday at UFC 264 in hopes to get back on track to the title after suffering a TKO loss to champion Kamaru Usman back in February. The loss to Usman left Burns (19-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) devastated, crying in the middle of the cage as he saw his six-fight winning streak and hopes of becoming champion come to an end that night.
But since, the Brazilian regrouped, got booked a return fight, and is now ready to climb the ladder once again.
“I already moved on,” Burns told MMA Junkie at the UFC 264 media day on Wednesday. “It did take me a couple of weeks to move on from that, but I already moved on. He’s (Usman) been evolving so much. After that, he fought a great fight against Masvidal, and then he showed how good he is. I’m here to do the same. I moved on and now I’m facing one of the most dangerous strikers in the division and I’m excited about it.”
Burns takes on fellow former UFC title challenger Stephen Thompson in the co-main event of the UFC 264 pay-per-view.
He’s unsure where a win over Thompson will put him considering he recently fought for the belt, but the 34-year-old is confident it’s about the performance and not the winning streak when it comes to getting a shot at the belt.
“I talked to my manager, I talked to the coaches and the dream is still there, it’s still alive,” Burns said. “I want to be champion, that’s still the goal. We saw how many fights I have to get a title shot, but that is a question that no one can answer.
“Nowadays it’s all about performance. We see a couple of guys with 10-fight winning streaks, seven-fight winning streaks do not get title shots. Why? Because in the performance that’s where you make the case. I want to win the title shot again, that’s my main goal.
“I asked for the top guys in the division. No. 1 said no, No. 3 said no, and they offered me ‘Wonderboy’ and I said yes right away. That’s the fight to make. Stylistically we match up well, me and ‘Wonderboy are on the same path. He fought for the title, we both got a little taste of that title, and we both want to be champions. It’s a great fight.”
Gilbert Burns sees path back to the UFC welterweight title: ‘The dream is still there’