As far as Gilbert Burns is concerned, Jorge Masvidal isn't fully retired.
Burns defeated Masvidal at UFC 287 earlier this month after comprehensively outpointing him over three rounds in the co-main event.
Masvidal — who suffered his fourth defeat in a row in the process — would go on to retire in his post-fight interview stating that he no longer felt he had it in him physically to compete at the highest level.
Burns, however, isn't sold on “Gamebred” calling it a day and believes he would unretire for a potential money fight with Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz.
“Right now he’s retired, and as a title contender he’s retired, but for big money fights against (Conor) McGregor or Nate Diaz or another big name, I think he returns,” Burns told MMA Junkie in a Spanish interview.
Many praised Jorge Masvidal for knowing when to call it a day, as MMA is such a sport that many tend to stay beyond their prime and only retire after a series of knockout defeats.
But after duking it out with Masvidal for three rounds, Burns believes the BMF champion is still capable of competing at a high level.
“He was very dangerous in there,” Burns explained. “He kept fighting the entire time. He’s very dangerous. Even when I was grappling him, he had all the answers. He knows how to respond, where to put his hands, what to do when he gets brought back to the canvas. He’s very intelligent. With all the training and work that I did with my trainers, he was still very smart.
“Some people ask me, ‘Why didn’t you knock him out? Why didn’t you knock him out?’ Man, he was always fighting. He’s a natural fighter, and there was never a moment I felt I could relax. If he wants it and feels he still has the heart, he can fight. But if his heart is not in it and doesn’t want to work hard, it’s time.”
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