UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns doesn't think Khabib Nurmagomedov handled things perfectly in the corner of his cousin, Umar, earlier this month.
The previously undefeated bantamweight challenged for Merab Dvalishvili's title in the co-main event of UFC 311, staged inside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
After a strong start, Nurmagomedov was unable to continue his momentum into the latter rounds, with the Georgian champion's renowned pace and cardio once again proving to be the difference and setting up a decision victory.
During an episode of his and Renato Moicano's Show Me The Money podcast, Burns gave his assessment of the contest and outlined where the challenger's team might have gone wrong.
Though he noted his immense respect for Khabib, "Durinho" saw some holes in the coaching game of the former UFC lightweight champion.
I have so much respect for the Dagestani guys and Khabib, but I just gotta say this — Khabib Nurmagomedov as a main coach, people gonna hate on this, still got to improve a lot," Burns said. "When Umar started getting tired, he came to the corner with those question eyes, like, he didn’t know what to do. And when I looked at Khabib and his corner, they had the same eyes — like, 'Oh my God.'
Guys like 'Parrumpa' and Henry (Hooft), they calm you down and tell you exactly what to do — 'You lost that round, now do this and this.' They’ve been in so many corners, you can’t even count," Burns continued. "I have a lot of respect for him (Khabib), but coaching takes time and repetition.
Khabib seemingly won't be sticking around as long as the trainers named by Burns, however, having outlined his plans to hang up his coaching gloves when his current crop of fighters depart the sport.
For now, though, the Dagestani remains focused on developing his team. He was most recently in Dubai for a successful PFL main event for another of his cousins, Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.