Gilbert Burns doesn’t expect the UFC 251 headliner to live up to expectations.
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman faces Jorge Masvidal in the main event this Saturday at Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Burns (18-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who originally was slated to challenge Usman, was forced to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19 and replaced by Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC).
Burns is teammates with Usman, and they’ve been training together at Sanford MMA, formerly known as Hard Knocks 365, for years. When Usman was initially going to fight Burns, he moved his camp to Colorado to train under the guidance of head coach Trevor Wittman and UFC interim lightweight champ Justin Gaethje.
With his eyes peeled for the welterweight title fight, Burns gives Masvidal a puncher’s chance but sees a one-sided fight in favor of Usman.
“I see Kamaru dominating, that’s what I see,” Burns told TMZ. “I think a lot of people get a big expectation in this matchup, but it can only go two ways, or Masvidal can catch him and knock him out inside two rounds. But the way I see the fight going is Kamaru dominating.
“Even a boring fight, I’d say, Kamaru takes him down and smashes him on the cage. I don’t want that as a fan, but I believe it’s gonna be a boring fight, Kamaru controlling every aspect of the fight.”
Burns is hoping to land the winner and has the support of UFC president Dana White, although the surging contender recently admitted that if Masvidal wins, he thinks the division will turn into a “circus,” causing him to lose out on a title shot.
