Kamaru Usman Defeats Gilbert Burns To Retain Welterweight Belt
Nigeria-born Texan Kamaru Usman defeated Gilbert Burns 34 seconds into the third round at UFC 258 to retain his welterweight title with his 13th consecutive UFC victory.
Usman (18-1) defended his title for the third time and broke Georges St. Pierre’s UFC record for consecutive welterweight victories with another clever performance that ended with a fierce display of power to stop Burns (19-4), his former teammate and sparring partner.
After Usman got dropped in the first round, he recovered impressively to control the second. He ended the fight with style in the third, putting Burns flat on his back with a perfectly placed right hand just 25 seconds into the round.
Usman pounced and landed another strike that bounced Burns’ head off the canvas. He continued to pound the challenger on the ground until referee Herb Dean stepped in.
Usman jumped up and yelled to the mostly empty gym to “put some respect on my name!”
“I’m the varsity guy,” Usman said after the fight. “My fight IQ is different. It’s different when you’re in the gym with me, and when you get in [the cage], it’s a different ballgame.”
“I’m a whole ‘nother savage.”
#AndStill! @Usman84kg is the baddest alive
