UFC 251 wasn’t a good time for current welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. He was supposed to be one of the headline fighters in the event, and in fact, it was originally going to be titled “UFC 251: Usman vs Burns.” That all changed, however, when Burns was diagnosed with a positive case of coronavirus and was pulled from the event only days before it happened.
The title shot against Kamaru Usman he’d been waiting for vanished into nothing, and Burns was once again back in the contender list as the fight was changed to one between Usman and Jorge Masvidal. We all know how that went. Just as Burns predicted, Usman controlled the fight and came away with the victory.
Now, Burns is healthy again and is once again in the running to fight Usman.
Covid Free! ??
Sem Corona! ?? pic.twitter.com/A6Pb4srIaP— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 20, 2020
“I’m very happy with the results from the test after being quarantined for two weeks at home,” Burns said to MMAFighting. “I’m thankful and very happy I can go back to my regular routine.”
Elsewhere, Burns spoke about already talking to Dana White. According to him, White is on board with the plan for him to fight Usman, which was the fight that was originally scheduled before Burns’ diagnosis threw the plans off.
Despite the minor bump in the road, Burns does have the record to earn this title shot, with his last fight being a victory against former champion Tyron Woodley. He also entered the Woodley fight on a five fight winning streak that includes a victory over Demian Maia, who is recognized as one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world.
But can Burns handle a champion that was able to push Jorge Masvidal aside with ease? The answer to that question is still up in the air, and hopefully, there won’t be a surprising interruption this time to keep us from finding out.