Chimaev, Burns Come Face-To-Face At UFC Hotel

What’s da mattah, da CIA gotchu pooshing too many pencillz?

I was today years old when I learned that opposing fighters can run into each other at the UFC host hotel and not start a brawl (take notes, Mr. Yan). Maybe neither guy wanted to lose his towel in a scuffle or perhaps Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev are mature enough to save their violence for the cage when they’re actually getting paid for it.

Speaking of paid, maybe next time UFC can spring for a couple of bathrobes.

Burns and Chimaev came face-to-face for the first time on Wednesday, just three days out from their UFC 273 pay-per-view (PPV) showdown on April 9 in Jacksonville, Fla., and it was a glaring reminder that “Durinho” is a former lightweight, clearly at a height and reach disadvantage (four inches in both categories) against the bigger “Borz.”

Perhaps that’s why Chimaev has ballooned to a -550 betting favorite.

Burns (20-4), currently ranked No. 2 at 170 pounds, has won seven of his last eight, including last July’s unanimous decision victory over Stephen Thompson. As for the No. 11-ranked Chimaev (10-0), he recently improved to 4-0 under the UFC banner after his first-round destruction of welterweight “Leech” Li Jingliang back in October.

UFC 273 will be headlined by the featherweight title fight between reigning division champion Alexander Volkanovski and top 145-pound contender Chan Sung Jung. In the UFC 273 co-main event, current bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling defends his 145-pound strap against bitter rival and ex-division kingpin Petr Yan.

For the rest of the UFC 273 fight card and PPV lineup click here.