Sports
Report: Les Snead told Ty Simpson's family he's a 1st-round prospect
Les Snead tells Ty Simpson's family he's a first-round prospect for the NFL Draft
Yahoo Sports1 min read
MMAFeature
Kamaru Usman reflects on friend, title opponent Gilbert Burns' career
TL;DR
Kamaru Usman reflects on Gilbert Burns' career as a former training partner and title opponent, wishing him well in retirement while questioning if Burns is truly finished with fighting.
Key points
- Kamaru Usman reflects on Gilbert Burns' career.
- Usman wishes Burns well in retirement.
- Usman won their fight at UFC 258 by TKO.
- Burns has faced many top fighters in his career.
- Burns has a professional record of 22-10.
Kamaru UsmanGilbert BurnsUFC 258
Kamaru Usman wishes his former "go-to" training partner and championship opponent, Gilbert Burns, the best in retirement, but wonders whether or not "Durinho" is truly done with fighting.
The two fighters have quite a history together. Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) and Burns (22-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC) shared the mats as training partners with the Blackzilians team. They became close, but as the fight game sometimes demands of friends, they had to set that aside when their paths crossed inside the cage at UFC 258 for the welterweight title – a bout Usman won by TKO in the third round, defending his championship.
Burns continued to chase another title shot. He never captured UFC gold, but his resume is filled with virtually every top name in the division.
"You want to know who's fought everybody? Gilbert Burns," Henry Cejudo said, speaking with Usman on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast. "Kamaru Usman, Khamzat Chimaev, Michael Malott, I mean the list goes – Tyron Woodley. I mean, this guy has fought the who's who, champs, JDM (Jack Della Maddalena), Michael Morales. I don't think anybody at 170 pounds has fought more competitors in that weight class than Gilbert Burns."
After an unfortunate five-fight skid, Burns, 39, decided it was time to hang up the gloves after his main event loss to Malott in Winnipeg at UFC Fight Night 273. However, Cejudo and Usman believe that a return to fighting isn't necessarily out of the question.
"If you're not definitevely there, then it's difficult because once you're at home, now you're home for four weeks, five weeks, two months, maybe three months, and you're not going to the gym as much, you're not going to the gym at all, I should say that – which has been a part of your life for the last decade, the last two decades. Then you start to get bored. Then it's, 'Well, what do I do with my time? Where am I going here?' That's if you don't already have something set up. If you don't already have something that you can easily transition into that place.
"Then it starts to go, "Well, let me just go by the gym and see what's going on.' Then it starts to go, 'Well, let me just go ahead and spar today. Let me see how that feels.' Then you start to miss this again."
Q&A
What did Kamaru Usman say about Gilbert Burns' retirement?
Kamaru Usman expressed his best wishes for Gilbert Burns in retirement but questioned whether Burns is really done with fighting.
How did Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns' paths cross in the UFC?
Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns fought at UFC 258 for the welterweight title, where Usman won by TKO in the third round.
What is Gilbert Burns' MMA record?
Gilbert Burns has an MMA record of 22 wins and 10 losses, with 15 of those wins coming in the UFC.
Who are some notable fighters Gilbert Burns has faced?
Gilbert Burns has fought many top competitors in the welterweight division, including Kamaru Usman, Khamzat Chimaev, and Tyron Woodley.