Latest news with #UFC258
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gilbert Burns: Logan Storley's win over Joaquin Buckley shows Kamaru Usman the way
Gilbert Burns: Logan Storley's win over Joaquin Buckley shows Kamaru Usman the way Gilbert Burns advises Kamaru Usman to follow a similar game plan against Joaquin Buckley as their Kill Cliff FC teammate. Former UFC welterweight champion Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) will look to snap a three-fight losing skid when he takes on Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 (ESPN, ESPN+) main event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Buckley is unbeaten since dropping back down to welterweight in May 2023. The last time Buckley lost at 170 pounds was against Logan Storley in April 2018, which led to his move up to middleweight. Burns advises Usman to use a heavy grapple approach just like Storley did when he stifled Buckley on the ground. "I want Kamaru to win," Burns said on his "Show Me The Money" podcast. "The guy was at the gym – he was looking very good. At the gym, we had one of the guys that smashed Buckley back in the day. It was a long time ago at Bellator. Logan Storley just outwrestled him, ground-and-pounded him. It shows Kamaru the way. I think Kamaru has to mix it up. I think he was the best at the time when he was mixing it up. Not just striking. I kind of called that he was going to lose to Leon (Edwards). "At that time, he wasn't wrestling anymore. He just stood up with Leon, and I knew it was going to be hard. Whenever he mixes it up – sometimes he'll wrestle not just to wrestle, (but) wrestle just to make this guy think about it and then strike better, get loose. Take this guy down, make this guy tired. Buckley is very muscular, very strong. If Buckley starts putting pressure, Buckley is very, very dangerous. I think the way for Kamaru is to put pressure. I hope he wins, and I think he can." Burns fought Usman for the welterweight title in February 2021 in what was an emotional fight between teammates. After stunning Usman in Round 1, Burns was ultimately finished by TKO in Round 3 at UFC 258.
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kamaru Usman reveals moment that took him 'over the edge' prior to fighting Gilbert Burns
Kamaru Usman reveals moment that took him 'over the edge' prior to fighting Gilbert Burns Kamaru Usman says he dealt with the most emotional camp of his career while preparing to fight his friend, Gilbert Burns. Usman, who was UFC welterweight champion at the time, was caught off guard when longtime training partner Burns called him out after beating Tyron Woodley in May 2020. It was during the time Usman was seeking help from Trevor Wittman, and he felt that his gym, Kill Cliff FC, was taking sides when it came to his fight with Burns. Usman and Burns ended up being matched up in a title fight at UFC 258 in 2021, which "The Nigerian Nightmare" won by third-round TKO. Although it was hard for Usman to deal with the emotional build-up, there was one particular moment that helped motivate him to beat Burns. "All of these things were festering, and then I see posts and then what really took me over the edge was watching the 'Countdown,'" Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "He was walking with Pedro and Josh. They were walking along maybe some little canal, and they're talking, and he asked them – and I love Pedro. I used to love playing with Pedro when he was small, and he says, 'Who's going to be the new champion?' And Pedro and Josh were like, 'Daddy.' "'Who's going to take this belt?' And they were like, 'Daddy, you're going to take the belt.' It just hit me in my heart. I don't know why. Like I say, athletes at the highest level. You find little things to motivate you. I don't know why it triggered me, but it hit me in a way where I was like, I love that little boy. I play with him all the time and the whole time, you start getting paranoid. I'm like, 'The whole time y'all were plotting to take my title, take food away from me'" As soon as he finished Burns, Usman yelled, "Taking what from who?" However, immediately after, the emotions started kicking in for Usman as he watched a deterred Burns in tears. The training partners ended up embracing. "Once the fight took place, it didn't hit me until right after at the end of the fight," Usman said. "I'm being animated, and I'm up, and I'm up and then, out the side of my eye, I see Gilbert down here and then I see my coach, Trevor was like, 'Yeah, fight's over.' I see him and it hit me like, 'Bro, that's my boy, that's my friend,' and I just got crushed."
