Gilbert Burns wants Nate Diaz next: “I think that would be a crazy fight”
UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns says that he wants to fight Nate Diaz next, saying “I think that would be a crazy fight.”
Burns just went toe-to-toe with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273 in the 2022 “Fight of the Year” to this point. Burns was a massive underdog heading into the contest but he managed to not only go the distance against the hyped prospect Chimaev but also make it very close on the judges’ scorecards. Although he lost the fight, Burns’ stock arguably went up despite officially losing, and he seems poised for another big name in his next outing. If it’s up to Burns, he has a name on his hit list.
Speaking to TMZ Sports in a recent interview following the war with Chimaev, Burns was asked who he wants next, and he said he wants to fight Nate Diaz. The Stockton native hasn’t fought since a decision loss to Leon Edwards last June but he remains one of the biggest names in the sport and a fight against Burns would be a good one for the fans as it would pit two exciting fighters against each other.
“I want a big fight. I know Nate Diaz needs an opponent, I think that would be a crazy fight. I can put it in the contract no takedowns attempted, just standup. I love that (Diaz) fight,” Burns said.
Diaz and Dustin Poirier have been talking about fighting each other for months now, but the fight hasn’t been booked to this point. Nate Diaz is at the top of Burns’ list, but he also mentioned his brother Nick and potentially Jorge Masvidal as other options, although at this point Burns just wants to take some time to recover.
“So Nate, maybe Nick (Diaz), maybe (Jorge) Masvidal,” Burns said of his next opponent. “I don’t know. Right now I’m focusing on my recovery and spending time with my family.”
Do you want to see Gilbert Burns fight Nate Diaz next or someone else?
