The previously booked championship bout between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns may soon be set once again, this time for December.
It may seem like years ago at this point, but Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns were originally set as the UFC 251 main event and the headlining bout of International Fight Week in July. However, Burns would fall out of the bout the week before it was scheduled due to a positive COVID-19 test, and the rest was history. Jorge Masvidal stepped up on a week’s notice and one of the biggest UFC cards of the year got even stronger. Despite Masvidal getting dominated in the main event, the card would end up selling 1.3 million pay-per-views, and Burns would end up falling to the side.
However, Burns may get his shot back soon according to UFC President Dana White confirming a previous report from TMZ Sports. According to White, the UFC is looking at scheduling Usman-Burns for UFC 256 in December, potentially bolstering a card that already has rumored bouts of Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson, and even Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal on it.
The fight itself between Usman and Burns is seen as a real tossup fight, and that’s mainly due to the recent track record of both fighters. Usman has won 16 straight bouts, including 12 in the UFC. Usman has defeated the who’s who of the welterweight division, with wins over Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley, Rafael Dos Anjos, Demian Maia, and Leon Edwards most notably.
Burns on the other hand is one of the hottest fighters in the UFC right now, as he’s won six fights in a row, and has looked like a completely different fighter since moving up to 170. Since the jump to welterweight, Burns has wins over Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia, and Tyron Woodley. Most of the said wins have come on short notice as well, and have been extremely dominant, helping many see Burns as a future UFC champion.
