Gilbert Burns accepted a quick turnaround to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 as Leon Edwards has postponed his planned defense against Colby Covington until October, causing Burns to rethink his future and opt for a non-idle approach to keep his position as the next title contender.
Gilbert Burns had demanded a title shot after his victory over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287. However, when he realized that the scheduled Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington fight was delayed, he decided to accept a quick turnaround to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 288. Burns did not want to sit idle and wanted to remain the next title contender by deflecting any other challengers that may try to leapfrog him.
Although the fight against Muhammad came with risks, Burns saw it as an opportunity to be prepared for his title shot. The UFC met his demands for the Muhammad bout to be five rounds, even though it is not a title fight. They also adhered to a strict 170-pound limit, despite Muhammad requesting a heavier catchweight because of his religious observance of Ramadan, which requires daytime fasting. There are a few reasons why Muhammad makes sense as a smart choice for Burns’s next bout.
Following the UFC 288 co-main event opposite Muhammad, Burns says he has still been promised a title shot. He will have to win the fight, but if he does, he expects to serve as the Edwards vs. Covington backup plan or get a chance to battle the winner. Burns mentioned Muhammad, as well as former champion Kamaru Usman and undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov as potential threats to his title shot aspirations.
Gilbert Burns has been a fighter who is always willing to take risks. When he says he’ll fight just about anyone, whoever is next, he means it and follows through. Although he demanded a title shot, Burns realized that he must remain active and take on challenges to maintain his position as the next title contender.