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The UFC will be hoping the third time around will be the spell of a welterweight title fight between champion Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns, who are now set to headline UFC 258 after two canceled reservations.
Several people familiar with the rescheduled fight have confirmed to MMA Fighting that verbal agreements are in place with fight contracts expected to be signed shortly. The title fight was first reported by Combate. UFC 258 will take place on February 13 at a location to be determined.
Usman was first scheduled to face Burns at UFC 251 in July; the match was made after a scheduled fight between the welterweight champion and his rival Jorge Masvidal was scuttled due to a financial disagreement between Masvidal and the UFC. Burns lost the fight after testing positive for COVID-19, and the promotion came to an agreement with Masvidal, who ended up losing to the champion in an unbalanced decision.
Burns was promised the first crack at Usman following Masvidal’s loss, and ultimately the promotion targeted him for a UFC 256 title on December 12. But the fight was never officially confirmed and it was scuttled for a later date.
Usman and Burns were training partners at the now defunct Blackzilians MMA and Sanford MMA. After Burns got into the title picture, Usman switched training camps and moved to Colorado to work with renowned coach Trevor Wittman.
Usman, the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 21, has won 16 straight fights and hasn’t lost a fight since 2013. Burns is on a six-game winning streak, having found his rhythm after an uneven stint at lightweight.
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