UFC 258 title challenger Gilbert Burns is applying knowledge picked up from his past training sessions with the champion, Kamaru Usman.
Gilbert Burns has been confirmed as the next challenger for Kamaru Usman’s welterweight championship. Burns earned this honor by going 4-0 since entering the welterweight division, including a dominant shutout victory over former champion Tyron Woodley. Despite his great performances and having already been promised the next crack at Usman, Burns was still nervous that his title shot would go to someone else, namely the much-hyped newcomer Khamzat Chimaev.
“Thank God we closed the deal. They had already sent me the date, the problem was the contract that was taking too long, but it’s all official now,” Burns told AG Fight. The ‘Countdown’ crew has been to my house already, so it’s definitely going to happen. I’ve been training hard, but I was afraid the fight would go to Khamzat Chimaev or something. I think it took that long because of the UFC. I don’t know if they were dealing with Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington, too. But now is the time to train hard and win that title.”
Training History With Usman Very Relevant To Burns’ Preparation
Now that Gilbert Burns has all the reassurances that his fight with Usman is official, he can now set his mind solely on the task at hand: becoming the first man to defeat Kamaru Usman in the UFC. This will be even trickier than it has been for others who attempted the same task because of their past together as former training partners with Blackzilians and then Sanford MMA.
“I know many of his strong suits and weaknesses, as he knows mine,” Burns said. So I’ve been trying to close those gaps. I’ve been training a lot of wrestling and clinching, which are the things he is good at. Now the focus is on me. I’ve been working hard on my jiu-jitsu, all kinds of submissions, head, feet, arms, neck, I’ve been trying to get the finish from every possible angle. I think my jiu-jitsu will make the difference.”
Gilbert Burns continues to train with Sanford MMA, with Usman currently training in Colorado with coach Trevor Wittman.
What’s your prediction for the UFC 258 main event between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns?
