Kamaru Usman Trains With Former UFC Champion Ahead of Fight Against Gilbert Burns

The next title defense of Kamaru Usman is merely two weeks away. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ will go against his teammate Gilbert Burns. Ahead of the fight, Usman is leaving no stone unturned to make sure his undefeated run in the UFC continues. Former UFC lightweight champ, Eddie Alvarez, has also joined forces with Usman ahead of the latter’s fight at UFC 258.

The bond between Usman and Alvarez goes way back to when both the fighters trained together at Hard Knocks 365. When Alvarez lost his debut in ONE Championship, Usman gave his stablemate some words of encouragement. Two years later, as Usman stands on the cusp of his third title defense, Alvarez stands with him in training.

With the date of the fight inching closer, Usman thanked ‘his brother’ Eddie Alvarez for his support.

“The Work don’t stop. I’m more than thankful for all the amazing relationships this sport has giving me. Thanks my brother @Ealvarezfight #Feb13th #UFC258 #AndStill,” Usman wrote on Twitter.

While Usman will fight Burns, Alvarez also has his next fight ahead of him. The former Bellator and UFC 155-pounds champ will go up against Iuri Lapicus on April 7. ‘The Underground King’ has had two fights under his belt in his latest promotional home and is split 1-1.

Can Gilbert Burns end the undefeated run of Kamaru Usman in the UFC?

For a fighter who has earned his shots in the UFC by stepping up whenever necessary, Burns has had sufficient time to prepare for the title fight. After COVID-19 pulled him out of his fight against Usman at UFC 251, the UFC booked the fight for UFC 256 in December. However, this time around it was Usman who pulled out after he felt that he needed more time for preparation.

With the promotion shifting the fight to UFC 258, ‘Durinho’ would be hoping that the third time’s the charm for him.

Given that both Burns and Usman trained at the same gym, the two would have a fair bit of an idea about what to expect from their opponent. Riding a four-fight win streak in the welterweight division, ‘Durinho’ is a well-rounded fighter capable of holding his own both on the ground and on the feet.

Meanwhile, Usman left no doubt about his striking prowess when he stopped Colby Covington in December 2019.

Do you think Burns has what it takes to dethrone Usman, or does the Nigerian continue to march forward towards becoming a welterweight great? Let us know in the comments section.

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