Vicente Luque and Herbert Burns are the only exceptions, though.
Herbert and Gilbert are brothers and are separated by 25 pounds in the sport, so a scenario that both get lined up is highly unlikely. Luque, however, also competes in the UFC welterweight class, and that could become inevitable eventually.
If that scenario becomes reality, “Durinho” says he’s willing to walk away from the top of the mountain just so his friend, who’s “like a brother to me,” also accomplishes his life-long dreams.
“If I have the belt by the time he’s about to fight for it, I’ve already said it, I’ll give up the belt so he fights for it,” Burns said of Luque during a media day for Brazilian media on Wednesday. “I’ll go do a superfight, I’ll go beat up Nate Diaz, I’ll do something like that, and it won’t change a thing. The only guys I wouldn’t fight are Vicente and my brother.”
Burns was raised in the jiu-jitsu world, where declining to facing teammates in competition is a cultural thing. Atos leader Ramon Lemos has always left for his students to decide whether or not they wanted to go for it on the mats, and Burns says he was always open for it. That said, he once had to walk away and watch a friend advance.
“I never liked it, even in jiu-jitsu,” said Burns, who finished third in the 2010 European IBJJF tournament after allowing a teammate to move on to the final without competing. In the end, Atos went home with gold, silver and bronze medals in the middleweight class with Gustavo Campos and Rodrigo Caporal finishing first and second, respectively.
“There’s only one champion,” he continued. “You close out, one man will have his name as champion and one man will be second. I’ve done it a few times but never liked it. Only one gets to be champion, you have to fight. When I won [against Tyron Woodley] I said there’s no other way, I will fight for the belt now. That’s what I want. I’m in the sport to be the best, to be the champion.”
Usman and Burns no longer train under the same roof in Florida, but have sparred countless times in the past. “Durinho” says both had good and bad days against each other in practice, but is confident in his abilities despite knowing how dangerous Usman can be with 4oz gloves.
Emerging victorious at UFC 259, Burns won’t slow down as champion.
“I’ll rest when I retire, I’ll rest when I die,” Burns said. “I wanna work. Everything going right, and I believe it will, I want to defend this belt in June or July and then once more this year.”
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