Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) seems to have found its headlining act for UFC 258, as ESPN is reporting that Kamaru Usman will defend his Welterweight title against Gilbert Burns on Feb. 13, 2021.
While the fight is not yet official, the report states that the two combatants have verbally agreed to the proposed terms and date, though no potential location for the 170-pound title fight was revealed.
The two were originally set to headline UFC 256 on December 12, 2020 before “The Nigerian Nightmare” bowed out of the matchup citing needing more time to prepare. Indeed, Usman was just six months removed from his second title defense, a unanimous decision win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251.
Interestingly enough, it was Burns who was originally set to face Usman at UFC 251 before he was forced out of he fight as a result of COVID-19. For Burns, a February return will signal his first taste of action inside the Octagon in nine months as he was last seen dominating Tyron Woodley in May of 2020.
Burns is currently riding a six-fight win streak with his last loss coming at the hands of Dan Hooker in 2018. Usman, on the other hand, is one of the hottest fighters in the game and has won 16 straights bouts dating back to 2013.
Predictions?
UFC 258 will also feature a Middleweight bout between Kelvin Gastelum and Ian Heinisch, while Maycee Barber returns after a lengthy layoff due to injury to face off against Mexican-born sensation, Alexa Grasso.