Gilbert Burns put together a six-fight win streak heading into his title challenge vs. Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 258 on February 13, but he came up short, losing via TKO early in Round 3. “Durinho” has been there before. 

In 2007 Burns made the finals of the world jiu-jitsu championship, and lost. In 2009, he made the finals again, and lost again. But he kept on, and in 2010 won the world championship in no-gi, and finally, in 2011, he was campeao do mundo. So he knew what to do – there’s a convention in BJJ to give yourself one day to feel terrible, and then back to work.

As Burns explained in a recent interview with Damon Martin for MMA Fighting, he reacted to the loss not with despondency, but by watching film and breaking down where things went wrong. Adding to Burns’ woes, the two former teammates had both trained under Henri Hooft, and out of respect for both fighters, the coach sat the fight out.

I think I did very good in the beginning, but for sure, the same thought that I had in the interview after the fight, I was overexcited, explained Burns to Martin. I had a lot of feelings in me, I thought I’d be able to control that until I knew I wasn’t in control. Another big mistake was going into the break between the first and second round, I was trying to figure what I was going to do, and I was hoping to get something close to the Henri Hooft voice, and he wasn’t there.

I was hoping for that, get a voice for one of the corners that would be close to that, and in the meantime, I was supposed to take in my deep breath and recover, and I didn’t do that. I was thinking of the next step. As soon as I was back in the second round, I realized oh s***, I didn’t recover, I wasn’t thinking and putting my heart rate down. That was a busy week. No excuses. I lost, but I had a lot of things going on in my head. It was hard to focus, and I paid a price in the fight.

I thought I had [the lack of Hooft in the corner] figured out. When the first round was like that, I won that first round, and I was feeling that I was going [off] the trail a little bit, I need a guy like Henri Hooft to put on back on the trail and make sure I give the best of my abilities. I thought I had that figured out, but I was wrong.

I know I can do it. That’s the main thing. I did a couple of mistakes. I overloaded the punch. I got super excited. That was a lot of emotions on that fight, and that was a mistake. When I go into a fight, I’ve got to be with a clean mind. That’s the difference between the champion and the No. 1, No. 2 contender — the ability to make decisions. I wasn’t able to make the right decision, and Kamaru was able to make the right decision, and that’s it.

I got suspended 45 days, they ran all the tests on me backstage and the doctors said I was good. I had no headache, nothing. I’m good. So March 1, I’m going to see the doctor. After that, we will see. I believe I’ll be good to go by May, maybe June. That’s the date that I’m looking for.”

It appeared that #1 contender Colby Covington was going to coach opposite former teammate Jorge Masvidal on the next TUF season, but Usman wants a rematch with Masvidal, so Burns wants a shot at “Chaos.” 

No. 1 on my list until that fight doesn’t happen is Colby Covington,” said Burns. “He’s the No. 1 guy on my list.

And after that?

By the rankings, it’s got to be ‘Wonderboy’ No. 2 and Michael Chiesa, said Burns. Those three guys I’m looking forward to fight. I don’t care the order. If they say ‘Gilbert, who do you want?’ It would be Colby, but if he’s not available, then ‘Wonderboy.’ If he’s not available, then Michael Chiesa. If he’s not available, then the next guy available.

I just want to get back in there. For sure I’ve got to be safe, I can’t go out there next week because I’m suspended, and I’m going to respect that, but I want to get back as soon as I can. As soon as possible. People talk whatever they want to talk but a couple guys back it up. I’m here to make a difference. I want to fight everybody in that division.

I will do four if I have to – I never had an easy path. I felt that pain before in jiu-jitsu. I’m a hard worker. I’m going to work hard to get that rematch with Kamaru Usman. Whatever it takes.