There are very few people, if any, who might have better insight into Saturday’s UFC 310 co-main event than Gilbert Burns.
Burns, a former UFC welterweight title challenger and longtime contender of the division, has trained with both Ian Machado Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov at Kill Cliff in South Florida. A lot has been made about the fact that Rakhmonov submitted Machado Garry in sparring and yet, Burns thinks Machado Garry can get the job done.
“I do believe (Machado Garry can beat Rakhmonov), and again, I’m not in the gym, and I wasn’t part of anyone’s camp. I was in Brazil, I had just had surgery, so I’m not training, I’m a little out of both guys’ camp,” Burns said on “Show Me The Money.” “When a guy says that, and Ian’s clip is just 20, 30 seconds, I just feel Shavkat is overconfident because he subbed him before (in training).”
Forget about the past?
Burns believes Machado Garry (18-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) has improved a lot since that highly talked-bout training session at Kill Cliff. He thinks Rakhmonov (15-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) should be careful in not putting too much stock in the past.
“The guy that Shavkat finished a year or two ago is not the same guy right now,” Burns said. “That’s why I kind of like going with Ian. Again, I like both guys. Shavkat is part of the team now, but like I said, I have not been part of the camp. I like both guys, so I’m not picking Ian because I don’t like Shavkat. I like both guys.”
Saturday’s co-main event bout is scheduled to go for 25 minutes. Burns does think the length of the fight plays to Rakhmonov’s advantage – which makes the prediction tricky.
“I don’t think (his wrestling is good enough to get takedowns whenever he wants),” Burns said. “I think he’s very good at wrestling. I think he can work a lot of body locks and against the cage he’s very good, very tall. He’s got very good boxing, and he’s not afraid to get punched or go for the takedown. I think if the fight was three rounds, I would be big on Ian Garry because in three rounds he can be in and out like Ciryl Gane. But five rounds, maybe. It depends on how the first rounds go.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.
