Betting Lines – Khamzat Chimaev sits as decent favorite over Gilbert Burns ahead of UFC 273 clash

Finally officially booked to meet against one-time welterweight title challenger, Gilbert Burns in two weeks time at UFC 273, unbeaten finisher, Khamzat Chimaev still remains a decent betting favorite over the Brazilian grappler.

Chimaev, who has been out of action since October of last year at UFC 267 – stopped Li Jingliang with a hugely one-sided first round submission, landing his fourth consecutive UFC win with a dominant rear-naked choke success. 

The victory followed three prior dominant wins for Chimaev since his move from Brave CF – landing in the Octagon in July 2020 with a D’Arce win over John Philips, before stopping Rhys McKee just 10 days later with ground strikes.

In September of that year, Chimaev then blitzed through Gerald Meerschaert, stopping the Roufusport staple with a jaw-dropping 17-second one-punch knockout win. 

For Burns, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace and Sanford MMA staple headlined UFC 258 back in February of last year against former training partner, Kamaru Usman – suffering a third round knockout loss in a competitive welterweight title challenge. 

Quickly rebounding to the winner’s enclosure, Burns then turned in a one-sided unanimous decision victory against two-time title challenger, Stephen Thompson – with pundits immediately linking him to a pairing with the surging, Chimaev should the latter’s run of form continue in October. 

Just over two weeks out from fight night at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida – Chimaev, as per online bookie, SportsBetting.ag – Chimaev currently sits as a decent -435 favorite against Burns, who sits as an underdog at +335. 

At the time of publication, Chimaev is en route to enter his fourth consecutive bout under the promotion’s banner as a quite sizeable betting favorite – with projected pairings with current champion, Usman, the sole matchup which offers Chimaev at underdog money, however, only rather slightly. 

Ross Markey

Senior writer for FightBook MMA. An aspiring mixed martial arts reporter based in Ireland. Producer of news articles, interviews, opinion features, and exclusive features such as, ‘The Fallout’, ‘The Breakdown, and, ‘This Week In MMA’.