Khamzat Chimaev Defeats Gilbert Burns in RAF 13 Co-Main Event

Khamzat Chimaev had to work longer than usual, but the ending felt familiar.

Pushed into a second period for the first time in his RAF career, the former UFC standout still overpowered Gilbert Burns to claim a 15-4 technical victory in the RAF 13 co-main event, extending his perfect start in the promotion to 3-0 and sharpening his focus on championship gold.

Chimaev dragged into deep water – briefly

Burns did something no one else in RAF has managed: he forced Chimaev past the opening period.

That alone tells you how hard he pushed. It still wasn’t close on the scorecards.

Chimaev opened with intent, driving through a quick double-leg that sent Burns out of bounds and put the first point on the board. Moments later, he muscled his way to a slick four-point takedown, surging to a 5-0 lead and looking every bit the marauding force his reputation suggests.

Burns refused to fold. The Brazilian charged forward and hit a clean two-point takedown, a rare moment where Chimaev found himself on the wrong end of the scramble. Rather than rattling him, it lit the fuse.

Chimaev stormed back, crashing through Burns with another heavy entry and piling on scores until he stretched the gap to 11-2 by the end of the first period. The Chechen had been touched, tested, but never truly turned.

Burns, though, had earned something: more time.

Burns bites back, Chimaev closes the show

The second period opened with the underdog still swinging. Burns latched onto another takedown and collected two more points, showing the kind of stubborn resilience that keeps him relevant in any code he competes in.

Chimaev’s answer was ruthless.

He dropped levels, locked onto a double-leg and drove straight through Burns. The impact sent Burns crashing to the canvas for a four-point score, pushing the tally to 15-4 and triggering the stoppage. Match over. Statement made.

Burns walked away with credit for his ambition and grit, and on this evidence he has more than earned a return to RAF. He took risks, he scored, he forced the promotion’s most dominant presence to work.

Chimaev walked away with something else: momentum, and a clear target.

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

Three fights. Three wins. Three dominant performances. Yet Covington would be a different kind of puzzle: a relentless wrestler with his own iron engine and a history of thriving in high-pressure, high-volume fights.

Chimaev has crushed everyone in front of him since stepping into RAF. If Covington is next, we’ll find out whether this is just the beginning of a reign—or the first real fault line in the Chechen mauler’s rise.