Before UFC Champion Kamaru Usman and challenger Gilbert Burns clashed they did a stare down that you could feel through the screen. You could feel the emotion from the seat of your home. These are two former teammates that trained together. These are friends. This fight really felt like more than just for a belt now. I’m not sure who got the better during their practices as it was kept so secret by surrounding teammates and coaches but it was going to be proved that Saturday night. 

Gilbert Burns came out swinging that rocked Kamaru Usman early. This looked like the end of Kamaru Usman’s title reign but that isn’t what happened next. Kamaru Usman was able to show complete composure. Usman knocked Burns down and was able to recover from being rocked. Usman was even hurting Burns when Burns was on his back. When the fight returned back on the feet Gilbert Burns looked noticeably faster then Usman. What Burns showed in speed, Usman showed in precision. Usman’s jab was devastating over and over. A wrestler in Usman that was rocked in the beginning seconds of the fight kept the fight standing and won it standing. What an amazing performance by the Nigerian Nightmare.

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This win by Kamaru Usman makes his 13th win in the welterweight division surpassing Georges St-Pierre with 12. This is also his 3rd title defense and he’s tied at 2nd in All Time Wins in the UFC. Like Usman said, give this man his respect. Gilbert Burns looks to be the second best Welterweight in the world and I don’t see anyone beating him right now. After that is Leon Edwards, Colby Covington, and Jorge Masvidal. With Usman calling out Masvidal then it would Edwards (since he lost his opponent in Khamzat Chivemea through Covid) and Covington to face each other. Gilbert Burns vs Stephen Thompson would be an interesting fight. My rankings as you see below have not changed. Rank the Top 10 Welterweights below and become automatically entered in our contest that could win you a gift card to Amazon or Fanatics.com. Your Fan Rankings will be added to our Power Rankings as well. Contest ending March 31st