Two former teammates will clash for the UFC welterweight title. And now that bout is official.
Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns both weighed in successfully Friday morning for their UFC 258 main event. Usman weighed 170 pounds and Burns also was at 170. Usman will defend his welterweight belt against Burns on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
On his first attempt, Usman actually missed weight by a half-pound, coming in at 170.5. But then Usman took off his face covering and hit the mark successfully on his second try.
Usman and Burns were training partners in South Florida, beginning with the Blackzilians team in 2012. Usman started training with coach Trevor Wittman in Colorado last year after the initial fight with Burns was scheduled for July. But Burns tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from that bout.
ESPN has Usman as its No. 5-ranked pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world. In the welterweight division, Usman is ranked No. 1 and Burns is No. 5.
Usman (17-1) has been champion since March 2019 and has two successful title defenses. The Nigeria native, who grew up in Texas, has never lost in the UFC, with 12 straight wins. Only legend Georges St-Pierre has more consecutive wins in UFC welterweight division history (13), and Usman can tie that Saturday. Usman, 33, is coming off a unanimous-decision win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251 last July.
Burns (19-3) has won six straight, the most recent a unanimous decision over Tyron Woodley last May. The Brazil native, who lives and trains in Florida, is 4-0 since moving up to welterweight from lightweight in 2019. Burns, 34, is a multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion with power in his hands. He’s trying to become the first Brazilian to win the UFC welterweight title.
Both co-main event competitors made weight as well. Maycee Barber hit the mark at 126 pounds and Alexa Grasso weighed 125.5 pounds for their women’s flyweight bout. The 22-year-old Barber (8-1), one of the top prospects in the UFC, is coming off ACL surgery and her first career loss. Grasso (12-3) has won two of her last three and is looking to put together her first UFC winning streak after moving up to 125 pounds last year.
Lightweight Bobby Green, the last person to the scale, successfully made the 155-pound limit Friday morning. Afterward, he collapsed backstage and was evaluated by the UFC medical team. His bout with Jim Miller has been ruled off, per the UFC.