Published 12:28 IST, February 15th 2021
Kamaru Usman hugs Gilbert Burns who broke down in tears after UFC 258 defeat, fans in awe
After getting bested by Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns broke down in tears as his coach consoled him. Later, both fighters hugged as the champ praised Durinho.
Kamaru Usman made history by retaining his UFC welterweight title against former teammate Gilbert Burns at the main event of UFC 258. The Nigerian Nightmare grounded Durinho with a lightning-fast jab and as soon as Burns hit the mat, he unloaded on him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in and call the fight off in the third round.
After the bout, Gilbert Burns, who was thought to give Usman his toughest challenge yet, broke down in tears as his coach and teammates consoled him. Usman, who was once Burns’ best friend and teammate, then sat next to Durinho, seeing him cry. The pair were visibly emotional during the fight winner’s announcement, sharing a long hug afterwards. Usman was seen encouraging Burns with some wise words, praising him for his performance.
This was an emotional journey for both men as the whole fight was built on their previous friendship. When the fight was announced, Kamaru Usman left his gym, Sanford MMA, and moved to Denver to train with Trevor Wittman, who also trains fighters like Justin Gaethje and Rose Namajunas. While it looked like both the fighters were not on good terms going into the bout, Kamaru Usman made it clear that he still respects Gilbert Burns as a fighter.
Gilbert Burns stats: Fans praise Kamaru Usman for sportsmanship
After the bout, fans took to Twitter and praised Kamaru Usman for being a great champion and consoling Burns. “Gilbert crying just makes me sad,” wrote a fan. “Respect the King. No one is taking that belt, no one,” another added. “Usman needs to be in the goat conversation. 13 fight win streak, dominated everyone and has 3 title defences. We call Khabib a goat for the exact same reasons so we have to keep the same energy for Usman,” commented a third.
Kamaru Usman breaks Georges St-Pierre’s record
With the win, Kamaru Usman consolidated himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Not just that, The Nigerian Nightmare is also being compared to Georges St-Pierre, who is regarded as the best welterweight in history. With 13th straight wins in the UFC, Usman has now broken GSP’s record for the biggest winning streak in 170lb history. He’s also tied with Khabib Nurmagomedov for the second-most wins in a row in UFC (both 13), just three wins away from breaking Anderson Silva’s record of 16 straight wins.
Also Read l Jon Jones takes dig at Khabib Nurmagomedov by sharing ‘Most Wins in UFC Title Bouts’ list
Image Source: UFC/ Instagram
Updated 12:28 IST, February 15th 2021
