Khamzat Chimaev shares cold-blooded reaction to former rival Gilbert Burns’ retirement

UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev didn’t exactly strike a sentimental tone in his reaction to Gilbert Burns’ retirement.

Khamzat Chimaev is days away from his first UFC middleweight title defense, and he has a former rival on his mind.

Chimaev and former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland headline a stacked card at UFC 328 this Saturday in Newark. It’ll mark the culmination of months of bad blood between Chimaev and Strickland, who used to train together at Xtreme Couture before brutally falling out with one another.

Before Chimaev made the full-time move to the middleweight division, he was viewed by many as a potential future UFC welterweight champion. He proved this prediction feasible after wins over Li Jingliang, Kevin Holland, and former title challenger Gilbert Burns.

Chimaev and Burns clashed in an instant classic at UFC 273, with Chimaev earning a narrow decision win. Years after their fight, Burns announced his retirement earlier this year following a loss to Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg.

While Chimaev and Burns are cordial, the UFC middleweight champ had an interesting reaction to his former rival’s retirement.

Khamzat Chimaev: Gilbert Burns ‘never the same’ after we fought

In a recent interview with SportsNet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Chimaev was asked his thoughts on Burns hanging up the gloves.

“I told him before the fight, that he’s never going to be the same anymore, and he never has been,” Chimaev said.

After losing to Chimaev at UFC 273, Burns won back-to-back fights over Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny before going on a five-fight losing streak. He suffered losses to former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Belal Muhammad during his recent skid.

Despite never holding a UFC title, Burns makes an intriguing case for a potential spot in the UFC Hall of Fame in the future. He holds wins over the likes of Tyron Woodley, Masvidal, Demian Maia, and Gunnar Nelson in his career.

What is your prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland at UFC 328? Let us know in the comments!