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Gilbert Burns previews Stephen Thompson bout at UFC 264

No. 2 ranked welterweight Gilbert Burns tells Kevin Iole he's looking to get back into title contention with an impressive win over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Video transcript

KEVIN IOLE: Hey, folks. Welcome to Yahoo! Sports. I am Kevin Iole. UFC 264 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, not at Apex. We are going to have live fans in the building. I can't wait for that. And joining me right now is one of the top fighters in the world. He will be fighting in the co-main event against Stephen Wonderboy Thompson. Of course, I'm talking about my friend, Gilbert Burns. Gilbert, how are you?

GILBERT BURNS: I'm doing great, thank you. Thank you. How are you doing?

KEVIN IOLE: I'm doing awesome. I love to get a chance to talk to you as often as possible. You keep getting in these big fights and we're going to keep doing this. So let's start here. You know, fighting Wonderboy, I was a little surprised. You come in as the underdog in this fight, you know. He is minus 165, you're plus 135. What was your take on the fact that-- you think it's because of his takedown defense that they have him favored over you?

GILBERT BURNS: I don't know. I don't know who knows those odds, but that doesn't bother me I think. I think in this sport, any combat sport, you're just as good as your last fight, you know, in the AV. He did very good on his last fight. I lost my last fight, so they kind of-- I think they base on that a little bit. But, that didn't bother me to be honest.

KEVIN IOLE: You know, I want to tell the story. I read a story about you today, earlier today, and I thought it was funny. And I was actually at the fight, but I don't remember seeing this happen. But Wonderboy fought your good friend Vicente Luque, and you got into the cage after the fight. Why don't you pick the story up from there? What were your emotions when you got into the cage, and then what happened?

GILBERT BURNS: To be honest, I'm very, very, very competitive-- very, very. And I know Vicente, he's true, and he's kind of a little brother of mine. He's a little younger than me, but I treat him as a brother. Every time that I go to Brazil, I stay at his house. Every time they come to Florida, they stay in my house. We have a very good relationship. We share the same coach. I know his mom, I know his dad. He knows my parents too. So we're very, very close. And he lost to Wonderboy, and then I started getting-- I was getting pissed because it kind of knocked him down. He's shaking his head. Knocking down, he's shaking his head.

And then that was figuring, you're like-- you know, I understand you're trying to be nice but you're not the guy out. You want to finish the fight. You don't want to be that nice. So don't need to be all day shaking heads and-- I was, for sure, I was mad even, I'm very happy that-- not happy, but I get very emotional, very angry on those situations. I think even my brother when he lost the last fight, I was-- and right now, I'm kind of happy that I wasn't there because I get freaking mad on those situations. And I try to control myself. I don't try to bring my brother, my fighter down at that time.

KEVIN IOLE: So you went up to Wonderboy in the cage though. So what happened when you went up on him?

GILBERT BURNS: So he-- the fight was over and I come up to Vicente and say, bro how you feeling. He says, bro, I'm a little dizzy. And I'm putting ice on him and say, relax, you're going to get this one back, don't worry. And then I was giving that little pep talk. And then after that, as soon as I was talking to him, he kind of, you know, he just lost the fight. He was kind of sad. He got a little bit beat up. And then Wonderboy came at me and like, Oh, I'm such a big fan, and this and that. And then talking to Vicente, you're very tough, I love you both guys.

And like, I don't know. I don't know Wonderboy that very much. I cannot say if-- I guess that's the way it is. I don't want to say nothing but, he's not my type of competition. He's not my type of the guys that I wanted to compete. I want the guy-- if the guy tried to beat me up and beat me up like-- example, like my last fight, I lost to Kamaru. He finished me. I stand up, and I talk to the guy. Shook his hand, give him a hug. That's it. You know, I showed him respect. But the way he was saying, I think it was just too much and then Vicente was my brother, was a little emotional.

But thank God he did nothing, I just shook his hand. But I was kind of looking at him. He said, I'm a huge fan. And I was just kind of looking at him and just like holding to my-- trying to control my emotions. I did control very good but I think that happened because Vicente is a very close friend of mine. And that would happen to my brother. If something happened-- if the guy comes very respectfully, that was a good fight, thank you, I think that was what I was expecting. But he was a little more than that. And then I was just like--

KEVIN IOLE: I think the interesting thing about that for you Gil is the fact that Vicente and you and Wonderboy are three of the nicest guys in MMA. And so the fact that, here are three really nice guys that could start a brawl after a fight, right. You know, which was pretty funny.

GILBERT BURNS: Well, I don't think we'll ever get to that level. But to be very honest, my will was different. I wanted to do something, but I know how to control myself. I didn't do nothing stupid but, that wasn't what I was feeling back then, you know.

KEVIN IOLE: You coming off it, you mentioned a couple of times the loss to Kamaru Usman, but the division is really wide open. Dana has said Colby Covington is going to get the next shot. He's ranked number one, you're ranked number two. You know, all of a sudden Nate Diaz pops in the picture and he's talking to Kamaru about maybe, he will get in there. But you have to feel like a win over Stephen Thompson is a must given the fact that there's so much uncertainty in the division. If you beat number four, Stephen Thompson, you make a good case for yourself for a rematch. You lose this, and it could be tough. So do you feel any pressure as a result of that going into this fight, knowing it's not a title fight but there's a lot of stakes behind it?

GILBERT BURNS: It's always fresh, you know. There's a lot at stake. Is a lot of opportunity. If you win, it's a big step forward. If you lose, it's like two, three steps back, especially at that level right now in the UFC. I'm number two in the world right now. Number one doesn't want to fight, I got to find number three. If number three doesn't want to fight, then number four. Number four doesn't-- and I keep it going like that. And [INAUDIBLE] was number four, and he said yes, we're fighting. But he's a very tough opponent. But to be honest, I'm now looking past to this. I'm not looking-- if I beat him, then maybe one more fight or I'm going to the title shot.

I think I did that too much, and it didn't help. I don't want to put a lot of energy or make those match-- OK, I beat him, then maybe Leon, maybe [INAUDIBLE]. It's too much, you know. Instead of putting a lot of energy on that, I'm going to put a lot of energy on the fight. Make sure I perform because like you said, Dana said Colby's next. Yeah, but Dana said a couple of months ago that he want Colby against Leon. That's the fight to make. And then Colby said no. Now Colby's next without having another fight so I think-- let me make that very clear so I don't say nothing bad about Dana but I think you can change Dana's perspective of the next fight with a good performance.

KEVIN IOLE: Right.

GILBERT BURNS: Yeah. OK.

KEVIN IOLE: You bring him out of his seat, he goes crazy.

GILBERT BURNS: Yeah, it didn't sound crazy, but I think you can change a lot of his thoughts, a lot of his plans with a great performance. And that's one thing that I want to do. I'm not thinking a lot about a shot, if they give, for sure, you always say yes for that shot, but I'm thinking now how I'm going to beat Wonderboy, and I have all the source and all the training's already done. I just got to keep staying sharp right now, make sure I'm disciplined at Saturday. And I know we can change a lot of people's perspective with a performance.

KEVIN IOLE: You know, I think a lot of people look at him and they think he's going to be an easy guy to get down. You know, he's kind of tall and lean and not a wrestler. But I think he surprises a lot of people, you know, certainly in his two fights with Tyron Woodley for the title. Willy really spent a lot of time trying to take him down and really couldn't do it. Do you think that, you know-- how do I want to ask this question. I guess what I want to say is, do you feel like it's imperative for you to get him down, or can you win a striking battle with him if that's what it turns into?

GILBERT BURNS: Is a good question. I think I brought a couple guys that make me very ready for stand up fight, if it has to be a stand up. But I've been growing up a lot, true, that is not a secret. I grew up a lot. Been wrestling a lot. And I think you gotta do a bit here, I think. I don't know if I'm going to say, oh, I think I'm gonna finish here in this round. I think I'm gonna do that. I don't know, but we'll see.

We'll see. I think I'll be able to execute a lot of things that I've been doing in training. I've been doing reps over reps over reps on a set of moves that I think, if I connect those type of moves, I'll be able to take him out of there or take him down. And I believe in my ability.

So I'm trying to give you the answer without giving you so much of a strategy.

KEVIN IOLE: I get you.

GILBERT BURNS: But I do believe he's a very puzzle that people are saying now. They say that he a puzzle. Everybody's a puzzle, but I think he's a little different.

I think that's the best thing. He's different than a lot of guys with that different style. But I've been very well prepared for this one, and I'm and I'm excited.

KEVIN IOLE: I guess one of the things about Stephen. Obviously, he has got kicks in his karate background, but it seems like his footwork, to me, causes guys a lot of trouble. And you think Dominick Cruz, when he was the champion, when his footwork was so good. TJ Dillashaw, when he won it, had that. And there have been guys that have had that kind of footwork.

How do you deal with that when that's his natural thing, and that's something that you're having to add, to deal with that footwork and be able to cut off the ring and do the things that are gonna be required for Gilbert Burns to win the fight?

GILBERT BURNS: So, the first thing that I did-- I have to understand the style. I have to understand the concept. I'm not just gonna bring a guy to do the same thing if the guy doesn't know how to explain how he does it. Oh, I just do it. Just bounce back here. No.

So that's why I brought Raymond Daniels. He's a freaking master. He showed me how he do, how he gets done, why he does all the concepts. He implement a lot of things on my game that, on the beginning, was very hard. But towards the end, it got easier because he was there for a month, over a month.

So I was training with him twice a day every day. And for sure, I use the minds of Raymond Daniels, then Henri Hooft, [INAUDIBLE] all my coach. Vicente Luque experienced Daniels, that was with me, and had Henri on Vicente's corner. So you got all of these guys, and we start solving and making a strategy.

And we're using the footwork as well. That's gonna be a big thing. I've been learning a lot and studying a lot and put a lot of work in on that, and I think it's gonna pay it off. That camp was one of the most expensive camps I ever had. I have to purse so much. I invest so much money on the training, on the teammates, on training partners, on the recovery, on a lot of things.

It's paying off, because I think that the amount of knowledge that I've been getting on this fight is on a different level. First of all, I have that tremendous learning experience, losing to Kamaru, and now fighting another guy that is that totally different style. It's a lot of knowledge and I'm getting. I'm thankful for this knowledge.

KEVIN IOLE: Gil, when you were in there, working with those guys, was there a moment where the light went off and you realize, oh, now, this is how you counteract that? Did you find, earlier, you were getting frustrated, then, all of a sudden, you figured it out and had the ability where now I know how to deal with it?

GILBERT BURNS: Yeah. It took a little while to don't get frustrated, to get relaxed. And I know he wants me to get frustrated and march forward, even like Vicente did, like [INAUDIBLE], and I can name a lot of other guys that did the same. Start marching forward, and then they start getting more heat.

And then the guy-- he's dying. It's so hard. You cannot catch the guy.

Yeah, we worked a lot on those things with these guys, with my coach. And that's the key. I gotta see discipline against these guys. He's very, very, very good. But I think we have so much work, that we have a good game plan.

And I want to be very disciplined and very relaxed to be able to execute on my best. And if I do execute on my best, I'm getting the win.

KEVIN IOLE: I'm gonna wrap with this, Gilbert. After you lost to Usman, it really bothered you. And you were very emotional, and you showed that in your interviews after, at the press conference, and even later. I talked to you a few days afterwards.

When did you come to terms with it, and when did you feel like, OK, that's in the past, and I have to focus on the future? Was there a moment in time, or was it just the passage of time that healed that wound?

GILBERT BURNS: Took a couple of weeks. I had to take a little time off with the family. I don't know how long it takes, but it took a couple of weeks, maybe three to four weeks, to finally, like, oh-- and understand the why. OK, that's what happened. That's what I did wrong.

And I had to dig deep so much to see where those emotions come from. And I really had to dig deep, take the time, and be with myself, with no cell phones, with no music, with no TV, with not a lot of people talking, and they asking, why did it get that angry? Why did it get you emotional? Why did they--

Because we had a strategy. And I was doing good when I was following strategy. But as soon as I hit him, then I start getting emotional, and everything went out. So I had to take a little time off, dig deep in me, and ask a couple questions.

Then, after I got questions and get those answers, I was at peace. And today I'm very grateful for the experience. Even if it was a tough loss, I worked super, super, extremely hard to become a champion, but it wasn't my time.

And today I understand. I'm very thankful for the lessons, for the learning experience. And life goes on. Now we get to another fight, and then the road to get that title back again, the title shot again.

KEVIN IOLE: Everybody is excited about the fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, but don't sleep on that co-main event, because Wonderboy Thompson and this guy, Gilbert Burns, are gonna be a good one.

Gilbert, I appreciate you as always, brother. All the best to you, and we will see you, I guess, Saturday night.

GILBERT BURNS: Thank you, Kevin. Have a good one.

KEVIN IOLE: Be well.