Report – Gilbert Burns, Khamzat Chimaev targeted to meet at UFC 273 on April 9.

A welterweight matchup between division contenders, Gilbert Burns and Khazmat Chimaev appears to be inching ever closer – with UFC president, Dana White confirming the bout between the two is currently in the works for UFC 273 on April 9.

The event, which is slated to feature at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida – already fields a pair of title fights between featherweight duo, Alexander Volkanovski, and Chan Sung Jung – while bantamweight kings, Aljamain Sterling, and Petr Yan rematch in a title unification clash.

Per a report from TSN reporter, Aaron Bronsteter as per UFC leader, White, a pairing of Burns and Chimaev is currently targeted to land in the ‘Sunshine State’ on April 9.

Returning to the winner’s enclosure following a February 2021 title challenge loss to Kamaru Usman, Brazilian grappling phenom, Burns managed to knockback Stephen Thompson in July with a unanimous decision win.

For Chimaev, the Brave CF alum improved to 10-0 professionally and 4-0 in the UFC back in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE – making relatively short work of Li Jingliang with a first round rear-naked choke – cracking the welterweight top-10 in the process. 

Prior to his loss to Usman, Burns had embarked on a four-fight winning spree in his initial welterweight return – besting the quartet of Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia, and then former division best, Tyron Woodley.

For Chimaev, the AllStars MMA staple turned in a trio of finished over John Philips, Rhys McKee, and then Gerald Meerschaert before his October submission over Jingliang. 

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’.