Burns gave Chimaev one of the toughest tests of his career when they 2022
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight bout. They will now meet in a freestyle match at RAF 13 at the Watsco Center in Miami on September 18th. The Brazilian recently revealed what he believes is holding Chimaev back in his UFC career.
Gilbert Burns wants Khamzat Chimaev to find a stable team after losing his UFC middleweight title
Chimaev (15-1) is coming off his first professional loss, losing his middleweight title Sean Strickland (31-7). Burns believes “Borz” will come back hungry and strong. But “Durinho” does not believe that Chimaev will benefit from frequent coaching changes and camps.
Chimaev used to train out
Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden. Burns believes the Chechen fared better under head trainer Andreas Michael at the famed gym and claims he can still bounce back and become a multi-division UFC champion if he has a good team and a consistent head coach.
“I think he’s very hungry,” Burns told Red Corner MMA. “He’s still young; he’s still fresh. The only thing I can look at from the outside and say is that I don’t like him changing camps and changing coaches too much. When he fought me, he had that solid general. That guy he was with in Sweden. He did a great job… When the team was small. I think he did better. So that’s my personal opinion. But he still needs a strong opinion. With a strong team, he can come back, maybe two, maybe three divisions.
While long-time jiu-jitsu trainer Alan “Finfou” Nascimento is still in Chimaev’s corner, the former champion has frequently changed his training environment and is now based out of the United Arab Emirates.
Gilbert Burns believes Khamzat Chimaev able to bounce back from his lone UFC loss Sean Strickland and become champion again, potentially in two or three weight classes. However, Burns believes Chimaev needs a solid team around him and more stability with his coaches.
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— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
17 September 2026
