Gilbert Burns knows he had a chance of becoming the new UFC welterweight champion.
Early on in the fight, Burns landed a hard shot that dropped Usman. Burns then flurried him with several other hard shots that connected but he couldn’t put him away.
After that flurry and the round, it appeared Burns started to slow down and Usman turned it up on Burns. He then dropped the Brazilian a couple of times and eventually got the third-round TKO win.
After the loss, Burns revealed he got to excited and eager after he dropped the champion and he knows he can’t make those mistakes.
“It wasn’t exactly what I wanted it to be,” Burns said at the UFC 258 post-fight press conference. “I think I got overexcited. I went my guy Cody Garbrandt-crazy as soon as I hurt him. That was the second time. I think I made the same mistake when I fought Dan Hooker. I got overexcited.
“… In order to be a champion, I have to be disciplined,” Burns continued. “I have to be disciplined. I have so much respect for my guy Cody Garbrandt. I just went the same way. As soon as I saw he was hurt, (I forgot) about the strategy. I went for the kill. In order to be a champion, I cannot make those mistakes.”
Burns also mentions Robbie Lawler as some inspiration as he lost to Johny Hendricks re-grouped and came back to beat Hendricks. The hope for Burns is to do the same thing and eventually rematch Usman and beat him.
What do you think will be next for Gilbert Burns?
