Gilbert Burns still has one goal in mind.
The one-time welterweight title challenger battled the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev for three thrilling rounds on Saturday at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Fla., and though he came out on the losing end of a unanimous decision, his efforts drew rave reviews from fans and fighters alike.
On Sunday, Burns released a statement in which he vowed to continue chasing UFC gold.
Had a lot of fun yesterday unfortunately was not enough to get the win.
Shoutout to my family, team, sponsors and fans for the support! Love you guys
Another lesson learn!
I won’t rest until I have the belt!
Thank God another opportunity to do what I love!
Shoutout to everyone from UFC team the security the guys guys with the blue, doctors and @danawhite it’s a pleasure fight for this company!
Despite giving up plenty of size to Chimaev, the more experienced Burns took the fight right to “The Wolf” resulting in several thrilling exchanges that saw both men land heavy punches. Round 1 went to Chimaev and Round 2 to Burns, both frames that were easy to score, but Round 3 was razor-close with the momentum swinging dramatically until the final bell. According to UFC Stats, Burns edged Chimaev 45-44 in significant strikes in Round 3 and held a 119-108 significant strike advantage overall.
Burns, a former lightweight, is now 5-2 since moving up to the 170 pounds with notable wins over Stephen Thompson, Tyron Woodley, and Demian Maia. He challenged Kamaru Usman for the welterweight championship at UFC 258 in February 2021 and lost by third-round TKO.
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