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UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns is neither surprised nor impressed with Kamaru Usman’s title defense against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251. Gilbert Burns even termed the fight a “boring” decision. Burns also spoke at length on Leon Edwards’ hopes of getting the next shot at the 170 lbs title.
Gilbert Burns has taken the UFC welterweight division by storm recently. He bulldozed his way through the division and earned himself a shot at Usman and his welterweight strap at UFC 251. However, fate had other plans and Gilbert Burns tested posted for COVID-19 and was forced to pull out of the fight.
It was Jorge Masvidal who stepped up at the last minute to replace Gilbert Burns for the title shot. There was huge hype around the fight once Masvidal steeped in because of the feud between him and Usman and the PPV amassed roughly 1.3 million viewers, making it the biggest since Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor at UFC 229. However, Gilbert Burns was disappointed with the main event and believes it didn't live up to the hype. (h/t MMA Fighting)
“I was very happy with the result of the fight. It couldn’t have gone any better. I knew the fight was going down that way, that it would be boring, but I had Kamaru winning by decision (heading in). I believed—even if both guys had a full training camp—that Kamaru would beat him. If you’re just a striker, he’s gonna take you down, he’s gonna hold you down, beat you down and make you tired. Now, it is what it is. Kamaru is gonna take his time off, I’m gonna take my time off and as soon as he says he’s good, we’re gonna go in there and fight for the title.”
Gilbert Burns believes Leon Edwards must first prove himself against Masvidal before challenging for the title
While UFC president Dana White has already announced that Gilbert Burns is next in line for the title shot at 170, Englishman Leon Edwards claims he's the one who should be fighting Usman next. Edwards currently has the longest active win streak in the division aside from the champion but his recent inactivity leaves Gilbert Burns is unconvinced.
Also, Gilbert Burns believes that Edwards must first prove himself by exacting revenge against the man who gave him the "three piece and a soda" - Jorge Masvidal.
“I agree, he’s won eight fights (in a row). That was so long ago. Then he fought RDA on my birthday last year. I’ve fought four times, almost five. You can’t blame it on the pandemic. He fights once or twice a year. I went in there and fought Woodley, dominated him, and then he gets a title shot? Because I beat the guy that he was supposed to beat? I’m next. Take that three piece and a soda back. I’m from Rio, I would take that three piece and soda back, 100-percent. I would want to finish that business first.”
