Gilbert Burns assesses potential Michael Morales UFC fight: 'I cannot afford to lose'
Gilbert Burns is aware that a potential fight with Michael Morales won’t be easy.
Per Ag Fight, Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) is expected to face Morales (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in a welterweight bout April 12 at UFC 314 in Miami.
Burns recently addressed the possible matchup with the unbeaten rising contender.
“I think the guy’s very good,” Burns said of Morales on his “Show Me The Money” podcast. “High-level. He’s 17-0 18-0, maybe? Crazy finishes. He’s very tough, very good, very athletic. Looks very athletic.
“I started watching his fights a little bit just in case. The fight’s not officially a done deal, but I think it’s going to play (out). I think it’s a tough fight for me. Tough fight for him as well, I think, but as (Renato) ‘Money’ Moicano says, ‘I cannot afford to lose, bro.'”
Former title challenger Burns has his back against the wall having lost three straight for the first time in his career. His losses came to current UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, and top contenders Jack Della Maddalena and Sean Brady.
What bothers Burns the most isn’t necessarily the skid, but his most recent performance against Brady this past September in the UFC Fight Night 242 main event.
“It’s been three already,” Burns said. “The injury against Belal, then the knockout against JDM, then the last one for me, which was a hard one to swallow. I put a crazy amount of work, and I couldn’t show anything. I had a bad weight cut. No excuses. Shout out to Sean Brady – he did great.
“No excuse: The guy beat me, but I couldn’t perform the way I wanted. So now, I’m going to do everything in my power to perform. I don’t care. I want to show up in that fight. I’m not even looking at the three losses, I just want to show up.”