UFC welterweight contender Bilal Muhammad has explained why he will defeat Gilbert Burns in the upcoming co-main event bout at UFC 288.
Muhammad wanted a title shot against UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, but the UFC awards the next welterweight title to Colby Covington. With Burns in the same boat, the fight pitting him against Muhammad made sense, especially when he lost UFC 288 co-main event original Benel Dariusz against Charles Oliveira. Now, UFC 288 has another big fight with title implications, and that’s the way Muhammad wants it.
Talking to “The Schaub Show,” Muhammad was asked what he thought of Burns’ fight, and he broke down why and how he would raise his hand.
“I think competing, stylistically, is like I fought the best striker in the division with Demian Maia, I fought the best striker in the division with ‘Wonderboy’, I fought the guy who knocked me out and his training partner in Luque, I beat Luque and I fought the hot new rising star, stronger A man in the department at Sean Brady’s. Muhammad said (trans MMAjunkie.com).
“I don’t think Gilbert’s a killer. Nobody’s going to push it like me, move like me, adapt like me, and make adjustments in the fight like me. You see me fighting backwards, you see me fighting forwards, you see me fighting sideways. He doesn’t know what I’m going to bring to the table. I know what he’s going to bring.” To the table, because I’ve been watching him, and he doesn’t really change his line or his style. And this being such a short fight, there’s not a lot of strategy coming from his side. He’s like, ‘Well, I’m going to do this because I’m good at it,’ but I’m better at what you’re good at.”
Who do you think will win the co-main event at UFC 288 between Bilal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns?
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