'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAgQAEQUGEiEiAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBhEAAgEEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAAMFEQYSEzFB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDKvUuB6xztR7H0ZwQ9iAAtkg2IZKPiRORlojy+hrRya3uN4unds1jUeSl01nVv18HXra8YxfG0WbkMkl8B1TxlQfmxVFP3Hx0B7RKM6t2IPuv/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After a dominant performance in his home country last time out, Gilbert Burns called out a number of welterweight fighters. That has seemingly rubbed divisional mainstay Belal Muhammad the wrong way.
'Remember the Name' put on a noticeably improved striking display when he handed Sean Brady the first loss of his professional MMA career back at UFC 280 and is desperate to return to the octagon. Currently ranked inside the top five, the grappler aims to earn a shot at the title before the end of the year.
In an exchange on social media, Gilbert Burns exclaimed that he would "fight anyone," prompting a similar response from his fellow welterweight contender Belal Muhammad, who had this to say:
"I TOO WILL FIGHT ANYONE"
The animosity between the two has been building over the last couple of months and it seems the two are on a collision course for a possible title-eliminator clash sometime in the future.
While they were already on each other's radar, Burns ignited the feud even further when he openly discredited the 34-year-old, insisting that he should not be ranked below the Chicago native.
Belal Muhammad didn't like the Brazilian's comments and decided to compare each of their previous opponents. In doing so, he noted that he has four ranked wins, whereas 'Durinho' has just one.
Although Burns is 2-2 across his last four outings, he has arguably been in the cage with more challenging opponents and has been a problem for everyone since making his move to the 170-pound division back in 2019.
What's next for Gilbert Burns?
At UFC 283 on January 21, Gilbert Burns stepped into the cage across from tough veteran Neil Magny. He made it look easy, taking just four minutes to take his experienced opponent out.
The domination made it clear that the former title challenger belongs at the top of the weight class, but in such a stacked division, who will the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt face next?
Alongside the aforementioned Belal Muhammad fight, there have been rumors of Burns entering the octagon to face Khamzat Chimaev in a rematch of their 2022 fight-of-the-year contender.
If none of those matchups unfold, the heavy-hitter has his eyes set on a meeting with Colby Covington, a former UFC interim champion who has been out of action since his win over Jorge Masvidal last March.
