Khamzat Chimaev Dominates Gilbert Burns in RAF 13

Khamzat Chimaev finally had to clock some real mat time in RAF – but the ending felt familiar.

Pushed into a second period for the first time in the promotion, the former UFC star still ran away with it, overpowering Gilbert Burns 15–4 in the RAF 13 co-main event to move to 3-0 in the organization and keep his aura of inevitability intact.

Chimaev pressed, then pulled away

Burns didn’t show up to play the victim. He showed up to wrestle.

The match opened with Chimaev driving hard on a double-leg, forcing Burns out of bounds for the opening point. Seconds later, he muscled through a slick four-point takedown and jumped to a 5–0 lead, the kind of early surge that usually breaks opponents before the clock does.

Burns refused to fold.

He burst forward with a clean two-point takedown of his own, a reminder that he wasn’t just a prop in the Chimaev show. Instead of rattling the Chechen, it seemed to flip a switch. Chimaev came storming back, chaining his attacks and ripping Burns to the mat again, stretching the margin to 11–2 as the first period expired.

That alone was a small victory for Burns. No one had ever dragged Chimaev into a second period in RAF. He did.

Burns bites down, Chimaev closes the door

The second period opened with more resistance from Burns. He latched on and scored another two-point takedown, narrowing the gap and forcing Chimaev to reset in a match that had turned into a high-paced, high-scoring scrap.

The response was ruthless.

Chimaev shot in again, wrapped up another double-leg and drove through with authority. Burns crashed to the canvas, the impact and control earning Chimaev a four-point sequence that pushed the score to 15–4 and triggered the stoppage.

Match over. Statement made.

Burns walked away with credit for his effort and a performance that should earn him another call back to RAF. He made Chimaev work, he took him where no one else had in this promotion, and he put points on the board.

Chimaev walked away with something else: a perfect 3-0 RAF record, another dominant win, and a clear target in mind.

“Of course, why not? He has the belt,” Chimaev said when asked about a potential showdown with RAF crossover champion Colby Covington.

He has bulldozed everyone RAF has put in front of him so far. Covington, with his pace, wrestling pedigree, and championship experience, would be a very different kind of puzzle.

If that fight lands, Chimaev’s run of dominance meets its sternest examination yet.