After two prior bookings fell through, Gilbert Burns will finally get his long-awaited shot at UFC gold when he returns to the octagon on Saturday night.
Burns (19-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) will take on reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 258, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams live on pay-per-view on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
The opportunity sees the Brazilian look to continue his unbeaten streak since moving up from lightweight to welterweight. Burns has gone 4-0 at 170 pounds, including key wins over Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia and, most recently, former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Now Burns is looking to capture championship gold by dethroning his former training partner Usman (17-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) in the biggest fight of his career.
Ahead of their main event clash, let’s take a look back at the four key fights that have defined Burns’ UFC welterweight career to date.
Alexey Kunchenko at UFC Fight Night 156 | Aug. 10, 2019
When Burns lined up against Alexey Kunchenko at UFC Fight Night 156 in Uruguay, he found himself matched against a man riding a 20-fight winning streak. But he outworked the undefeated Russian to hand him his first loss and claim his first win as a UFC welterweight.
Burns had decided to move up from lightweight, and looked in excellent shape as he found his mark with his strikes, then mixed in takedowns as he piled the pressure on Kunchenko in search of a submission.
He wasn’t able to find a finish, and he had to endure a final-round flurry from his opponent, but Burns earned 29-28 scores on all three scorecards to kick off his new chapter at 170 pounds with a notable win.
Gunnar Nelson at UFC Fight Night 160 | Sep. 28, 2019
Burns’ next test at 170 pounds saw him accept a short-notice test against Icelendic grappling ace Gunnar Nelson. But, as a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Burns was more than happy to go to the mat with Nelson during their three-round battle at UFC Fight Night 160.
The bout was about more than just grappling, however, as large parts of their welterweight bout were contested in the stand-up. While Nelson offered plenty of threat with his karate-based style, it was Burns whose heavier, more frequent shots proved more effective as the Brazilian outstruck the Icelander on the feet, with a spectacular flying knee that landed flush the standout moment from his striking performance.
It was a similar story on the mat, with Burns chasing the submission and Nelson proving a stubborn adversary. Eventually, after a competitive matchup, the bout went to the scorecards, where Burns earned 29-28 scores across the board to pick up another significant victory and move toward the division’s established contenders.
Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 170 | March 14, 2020
After besting one of the top European grapplers in the UFC, Burns was handed arguably the stiffest test of his mat credentials against fellow countryman Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 170, and he was forced onto the back foot almost immediately during their main card clash in Brasilia.
Maia looked to impose his grappling skills on Burns from the very start as he swiftly took “Durinho’s” to the mat and took his back. But Burns showed his elite defensive skills on the mat to avoid trouble and get the fight back to the feet.
Once the action was back in the stand-up realm, Burns let fly with his strikes as he landed a big left hook that decked the former middleweight title challenger. Burns then moved in and followed up with a barrage of ground and pound to finish the fight halfway through the opening round.
It announced Burns as a serious contender at 170 pounds and positioned him as a threat to the division’s best. Then, just two months later, he was handed a golden opportunity to jump to the front of the welterweight queue.
Tyron Woodley at UFC on ESPN 9 | May 30, 2020
With England’s Leon Edwards unable to take on former champion Tyron Woodley, an opportunity opened up for Burns to make a quick turnaround, and the Brazilian took his chance with both hands to put himself firmly in title contention.
Burns completely dominated Woodley through their five-round main event clash at UFC on ESPN 9, busting open the former champion, then going on to earn a shutout victory, with the judges scoring the bout 50-44, 50-44, 50-45 to give Burns the biggest, most dominant victory of his UFC career.
After his win, Burns called for a title shot against his then-teammate Kamaru Usman, stating, “My name now has got to be the No. 1 contender. I love the champ, my training partner Kamaru Usman, but come on, give me the shot. I’ve got a lot of love for you, but I’m next. I want to fight for the title.”