Top UFC welterweight Gilbert Burns is confident he can stop Khamzat Chimaev in his tracks when they meet at UFC 273.
Former title challenger Burns will meet soaring contender Chimaev on April 9 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The fight could produce the next challenger for Kamaru Usman's welterweight belt after his planned title defence against Leon Edwards in July.
Chimaev has taken the UFC by storm since his debut in 2020 and finds himself ranked No.11 at 170lb after just two wins at the weight class.
'Durinho' hasn't fought since outpointing Stephen Thompson at UFC 264 last July, with a knee injury he picked up during that win delaying his return.
And Burns has predicted he will pick up a stoppage win against Chimaev to push himself closer to another title shot.
“It’s gonna be a finish," Burns told Mirror Fighting . "I think I might be able to catch him with a couple of punches or I’m getting a submission. I don’t exactly, but don’t see it going to a decision, I see a finish.”
Standing at 6'2" and having a reach of 77", Chimaev is one of the biggest welterweights on the UFC roster. But Burns think this could be one of the Chechen's few weaknesses.
“He’s strengths are clear, he’s a very big guy and strong for the division. I don’t see a lot of weakness, but when a guy’s that big and can fight at middleweight, he’s gonna have a very tough weight cut," Burns added.
UFC boss Dana White has previously detailed the promotion's struggles to book Chimaev against any top contenders at welterweight.
'Borz' has only absorbed one significant strike in his four UFC outings and last submitted Li Jingliang in the first round at UFC 267.
Burns thinks he should be praised for taking a fight that no `one else would, especially when Chimaev is nine places below him in the welterweight rankings.
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“I’m fighting the guy that no one wants to fight," he continued. "Now everyone wants to fight Wonderboy [Thompson] since I gave up the map after I beat him, but no one wanted to fight him before."
“Nobody wanted to fight Chimaev and I’m putting myself out there, fighting a guy who is way below me. He’s very tough, young and hungry, so a big win over Chimaev will get me super close to a title shot.
Burns, who is unfazed in being an underdog against Chimaev, expects his former opponent Usman to beat Edwards if the pair fight in the summer.
Usman knocked out Burns in their title fight last year, putting an end to the Brazilian's six-fight unbeaten run that spanned over three years.
