Report: Gilbert Burns takes on Alexey Kunchenko at UFC Montevideo

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Gilbert Burns will take on Alexey Kunchenko on short notice at UFC Montevideo.

Gilbert Burns kept his word.

Just five days after ‘Durinho’ tweeted that his next bout would be in the welterweight division, Combate reported that the Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt has agreed to take on Alexey Kunchenko at UFC Montevideo, just 11 days away from the event, scheduled for August 10.

In fact, Burns will step in on short notice for Laureano Staropoli, who broke his nose and was forced out of his match against Kunchenko.

Currently on a two-fight winning streak in the lightweight division, with victories over Olivier Aubin-Mercier and most recently, Mike Davis, Gilbert Burns (15-3) will leave that momentum behind to start from scratch at welterweight. Before his wins, however, the 33-year-old suffered a heavy knockout loss at the hands of Dan Hooker, back in July 2018.

With two decision wins under his belt in his Octagon career, Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) bested two former title challengers in Thiago Alves and, most recently, Yushin Okami, in December 2018. In his 20-fight career, the 35-year-old has scored 13 knockout victories, with seven decision wins and one coming by way of submission.

UFC Montevideo will be headlined by a women’s flyweight title fight between the champion, Valentina Shevchenko, and former bantamweight title challenger Liz Carmouche.