Photo: Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images
Kamaru Usman continued his winning streak and bounced back from an early knockout loss to the Brazilian Gilbert Burns at UFC 258.
The Nigerian-American was stunned in the first round when his opponent flew off and dropped him to the canvas.
But the world welterweight champion used all his experience and class to return to competition, finishing it off with a barrage of punches in the third round .
Burns made a quick start and dropped Usman with a brutal right hand in the opening exchanges. But by the end of the second round, the reigning champion had taken over.
Much power! @ Usman 84 kg # CFU 258 pic.twitter.com/QJDlA68 zTc
– ufcespanol (@UFCEspanol) February 14, 2021
In the third round, he even switched to left-handed and delivered his brutal blow with his right. He pounced on his injured opponent and unleashed a series of quick blows.
Final end!!! @ Usman 84 kg 🇳🇬🏆 defeated Burns by TKO in round 3! # UFC 258 pic.twitter.com/nsyxfGiXy4
– ufcespanol (@UFCEspanol) February 14, 2021
And there were emotional scenes at the end when the former teammates they embraced inside the octagon. The Brazilian Gilberts was on the verge of tears.
Once friends, then foes.
Usman & Burns embrace at the conclusion on # UFC 258 🤝 pic.twitter.com/uwPdtWQfHT
– UFC (@ufc) February 14, 2021
How not to love MMA # UFC 258 pic.twitter.com/rllraljSBj
– Pelunaton (@pelunaton) February 14, 2021
Then Usman called Jorge Masvidal for a rematch of his UFC clash 251 for his next fight. Usman, who has now won his last 14 professional fights of MMA, including 13 in UFC, He said of Masvidal: “We have this little street thug who calls himself Jesus, thinking he’s Jesus.
“They tried to make that fight but he kept backing down. The only reason this man accepted the fight is because it was six days in advance and he had a built in excuse. And he’s still talking.
“I’ll give you a full training camp. I guarantee you won’t sign on that dotted line. I’ll finish your butt. Come into it and look at me ”.
