Tag: Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns Eyes June Bout Against Mystery Opponent After Being Turned Down By Colby Covington

BurnsFormer UFC Welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns is eager to get back into the octagon and has been given multiple options regarding an opponent for his return. Earlier today on Twitter Burns shared that he and his team were looking at potentially returning in June and out of the three opponents that had been approached […]

Burns

Former UFC Welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns is eager to get back into the octagon and has been given multiple options regarding an opponent for his return.

Earlier today on Twitter Burns shared that he and his team were looking at potentially returning in June and out of the three opponents that had been approached to face him, two had said yes, and Colby Covington had said no.

Both burns and his team appear to have been eyeing the Covington fight with Burns posting shortly after about the number one ranked contender.

“I don’t want slap this guy for free, even though he deserves! But if he keep saying no to fight me, I might have to”

According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Burns’ manager Ali Abdelaziz requested this fight for his client, however, this wasn’t the only name with the team also asking for Michael Chiesa. It is currently unclear if Chiesa is one of the fighters who agreed to fight Burns in June when approached.

Also, Abdelaziz who also manages Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman shared that he had spoken to the champ and while he holds the belt Covington will need to defeat another contender before he is granted a rematch.

Covington and Usman faced off at UFC 245 in December of 2019, in this extremely close fight Usman was able to finish Covington in the fifth round to defend his title. Since then Covington has only entered the octagon a single time to face former champion, Tyron Woodley, in September of 2020.

Burns is coming off his own failed attempt at the title against his teammate and friend Usman and is currently the number two ranked contender right behind Covington.

Right now, Burns’ mystery opponent remains a secret, however, there are three free fighters in the top six who are not currently booked, Leon Edwards, Stephen Thompson, and Michael Chiesa so it could likely be one of these fighters.

Colby Covington Blasts Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson & Gilbert Burns

Colby Covington doesn’t appear to be interested in fighting Stephen Thompson or Gilbert Burns. Covington, who has not fought since he TKO’d Tyron Woodley in the fifth round, has been holding out for a title shot. Yet, with Kamaru Usman set …

Colby Covington doesn’t appear to be interested in fighting Stephen Thompson or Gilbert Burns. Covington, who has not fought since he TKO’d Tyron Woodley in the fifth round, has been holding out for a title shot. Yet, with Kamaru Usman set to rematch Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261, many pundits thought “Chaos” should face either […]

Matchmaking The Top Of UFC’s Welterweight Division After UFC Vegas 21

In the main event of UFC Vegas 21, Leon Edwards was making his return against Belal Muhammad. The hope was the fight would add some clarity to the top of the crowded welterweight division, but that is far from the case. Early on in the fight, Edwards w…

In the main event of UFC Vegas 21, Leon Edwards was making his return against Belal Muhammad. The hope was the fight would add some clarity to the top of the crowded welterweight division, but that is far from the case. Early on in the fight, Edwards was having a ton of success and landed […]

Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns Cross Paths At Sanford MMA

Kamaru UsmanUFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and his former teammate and last opponent Gilbert Burns, have recently crossed paths at Sanford MMA. The two were teammates for years at the South Florida gym but Usman left to start training at Team Elevation under Trevor Wittman in Colorado. Soon after the fight between Usman and Burns was […]

Kamaru Usman

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and his former teammate and last opponent Gilbert Burns, have recently crossed paths at Sanford MMA.

The two were teammates for years at the South Florida gym but Usman left to start training at Team Elevation under Trevor Wittman in Colorado. Soon after the fight between Usman and Burns was booked for the welterweight belt.

They finally met in February at UFC 258. Burns came out surging and dropped Usman early in the first round. Usman would go on to recover and ended up winning via third-round TKO to retain his title.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and Usman makes his return to the gym he use to call home to help a long-time training partner prepare for an upcoming fight. While there, he crossed paths with Burns.

The encounter can be seen below (via ESPN MMA)

After this interaction, Burns opened up about it in a video on social media. (H/T BJPenn.com)

“Last week, March 2, we got a special visit right here at Sanford MMA: The champion, Kamaru Usman, a former teammate and my last opponent,” Burns said. “He came here [because] a friend of ours is fighting in Abu Dhabi. He’s very close with Kamaru, so Kamaru’s going to be cornering him.”

Burns had nothing but good things to say about Usman in the aftermath of the their fight but added that he thinks they will meet again in the cage soon.

“He came to the gym, it was good,” Burns said. “The respect is still alive. We shook each other’s hands, we exchanged a couple words. We’re all good right now, but I still believe we’re going to see each other again soon, in the Octagon.”

Do you think Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns will rematch in the near future?

Gilbert Burns Details Recent Run-In With Kamaru Usman At Sanford MMA

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman paid a visit to his old stomping grounds of Sanford MMA last week, and among the familiar faces he bumped into was UFC 258 opponent Gilbert “Durinho” Burns. Kamaru Usman has had to control his emotions before in t…

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman paid a visit to his old stomping grounds of Sanford MMA last week, and among the familiar faces he bumped into was UFC 258 opponent Gilbert “Durinho” Burns. Kamaru Usman has had to control his emotions before in the past when competing inside the Octagon. He had to do it […]

Burns: Masvidal Shouldn’t Use Six Days’ Notice Excuse Or Get Title Shot

Gilbert Burns does not believe Jorge Masvidal should be in the title picture and that the six days’ notice he had prior to UFC 251 is irrelevant.  Reports of a potential rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal have remained strong after U…

Gilbert Burns does not believe Jorge Masvidal should be in the title picture and that the six days’ notice he had prior to UFC 251 is irrelevant.  Reports of a potential rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal have remained strong after Usman’s post-fight callout of Masvidal at UFC 258. Usman’s opponent at the event, […]