UFC 258 live updates and results

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Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns have confronted each other hundreds of times in practice. They really do on Saturday.

Usman will defend his UFC welterweight title against Burns, his former sparring partner, in the main event of UFC 258 in Las Vegas.

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“I know a lot about Kamaru,” Burns told ESPN. ā€œI know exactly how he wants to fight. I know a lot about him. On the other hand, he knows a lot about me too. It’s just different. I don’t care. try to knock him out or submit him. “

Usman and Burns have been training together in South Florida since 2012, first with the Blackzilians, then with HKickboxing and finally with Sanford MMA. Usman left for Colorado last year to train under coach Trevor Wittman, after the first fight with Burns was scheduled for July. But Burns tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from that fight.

While Wittman cornered Usman, Burns will miss longtime coach Henri Hooft, who has decided to sit it out because he also coached Usman before switching gyms.

A native of Nigeria, Usman is 12-0 in the UFC – a win short of Georges St-Pierre’s record of 13 consecutive UFC welterweight wins. 33-year-old Usman took a unanimous victory over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251 last July.

Burns (19-3) has won six in a row, the most recent being a unanimous decision by Woodley last May. The Brazilian is 4-0 since moving from lightweight to welterweight in 2019. Burns, 34, is a multiple Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion with power in his hands. He is aiming to become the first Brazilian to win the UFC welterweight title.

In the co-main event, Maycee Barber and Alexa Grasso will meet in a battle of promising newcomers to flyweight. 22-year-old Barber (8-1) is trying to come back from her first career loss, as well as an ACL surgery. Grasso (12-3), a 27-year-old Mexican striker, wants to put together her first UFC winning streak.

Also on the undercard, former top middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum is attempting a loose streak against Ian Heinisch and dominant Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Rodolfo Vieira is trying to stay unbeaten in MMA against Anthony Hernandez.

Fight in progress:

Catchweight (140lb): Andre Ewell (17-6, 4-2 UFC, +125) vs. Chris Gutierrez (15-3-2, 3-1-1 UFC, -150)

Results:

Welterweight: Gabe Green (10-3, 1-1 UFC) def.Phil Rowe (7-3, 0-1 UFC) by unanimous decision

Green landed some big punches along the way, but it was his lower leg kicks that got the knockdowns, took the damage and secured his first UFC win.

When the fight was at a distance, the larger Rowe used his range to separate Green. And as the fight went to the canvas, Rowe also showed a jiu-jitsu edge that placed him in dominant positions on the canvas, close to setting up a submission. But Green dropped him twice in the second round and again at the start of round 3, all with spawn kicks. That was what swayed the judges in a close fight.

For Green, a 27-year-old from Downey, California, the win put him back on track. He lost his UFC debut last May, ending a six-fight win streak.

On this night it was Rowe whose streak ended. The 30-year-old from Palm Coast, Florida, who made his UFC debut, came in with a seven-fight winning streak that stretched back to his third professional fight.

Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Green, and the third had it 30-27.

– Wagenheim

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Is yet to come:

Welterweight: Kamaru Usman (c) (17-1, 12-0 UFC, -270) vs. Gilbert Burns (19-3, 12-3 UFC, +220)
Flyweight Ladies: Maycee Barber (8-1, 3-1 UFC, +105) vs. Alexa Grasso (12-3, 4-3 UFC, -125)
Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum (16-6 1 NC, 10-6 1 NC UFC, -220) vs. Ian Heinisch (14-3, 3-2 UFC, +180)
Featherweight Men: Ricky Simon (17-3, 5-2 UFC, -240) vs. Brian Kelleher (11-22, 6-4 UFC, +200)
Middleweight: Maki Pitolo (13-7, 1-3 UFC, +145) vs. Julian Marquez (7-2, 1-1 UFC, -170)
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira (7-0, 2-0 UFC, -400) vs. Anthony Hernandez (7-2 1 NC, 1-2 1 NC UFC, +310)
Welterweight: Belal Muhammad (17-3, 8-3 UFC, -490) vs. Dhiego Lima (17-7, 4-5 UFC, +370)
Strawweight: Polyana Viana (11-4, 2-3 UFC, +125) vs. Mallory Martin (7-3, 1-1 UFC, -150)
(c) = defending champion

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