UFC 258

UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns
The poster for UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateFebruary 13, 2021 (2021-02-13)
VenueUFC Apex
CityEnterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNone (behind closed doors)[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis

UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 13, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

Background

A UFC Welterweight Championship bout between the current champion Kamaru Usman (also The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians welterweight winner) and Gilbert Burns served as the event headliner.[3] The duo was previously scheduled to meet in July 2020 at UFC 251.[4] However, it was announced on July 3 that Burns was pulled from the contest after he and his coach, Greg Jones, tested positive for COVID-19.[5] They were also briefly targeted to headline UFC 256, but Usman pulled out citing more time needed to recover from undisclosed injuries.[6][7]

A middleweight bout between former interim UFC Middleweight Championship challenger Kelvin Gastelum (also The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner) and Ian Heinisch was originally expected to take place at a planned event on January 30.[8] However, the UFC opted against holding a Fight Night on that date and rescheduled the contest to this card.[9]

A middleweight bout between five-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion Rodolfo Vieira and Anthony Hernandez was expected to take place at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar.[10] However, Hernandez pulled out due to a positive COVID-19 test and they were rescheduled for this event.[11]

A bantamweight rematch featuring Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera was also expected to take place at the planned January 30 date.[12] They previously met at UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson 3 in November 2015, when Rivera won via split decision.[13] The pairing was then rescheduled for UFC on ESPN: Chiesa vs. Magny, before being moved once again, as they were booked to this event due to undisclosed reasons.[14] During the week leading up to the event, the bout was delayed again due to a positive COVID-19 test for someone within the two camps. The pairing remained intact and was rescheduled for two weeks later at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane.[15]

A welterweight bout between Dhiego Lima and Belal Muhammad was originally expected to take place in December 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal.[16] However, Muhammad was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week leading up to the event and the bout was scrapped.[17] The pairing was left intact and took place at this event.[18]

A featherweight bout between Brian Kelleher and Ricky Simón took place at the event.[19] The pairing has been scheduled and cancelled twice before. First, in September 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai, but Simón's cornerman tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to withdraw from the event.[20] The pairing was then rescheduled for UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar, but this time Kelleher tested positive and was pulled from the bout.[21]

A middleweight rematch between former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman and Uriah Hall was scheduled to take place at this event.[22] They met previously in September 2010 at a Ring of Combat event for the organization's middleweight title, with Weidman winning via TKO.[23] However, Weidman was pulled from the event in late-January due to a positive COVID-19 test. The pairing remained intact and was rescheduled for UFC 261.[24][25]

A lightweight bout between Bobby Green and Jim Miller was scheduled for this event.[26] The pairing was previously arranged for UFC 172 in April 2014, but Green pulled out of that bout citing an elbow injury.[27] They were once again cancelled as Green collapsed after the weigh-ins and was deemed unfit to compete.[28]

A women's flyweight bout between Gillian Robertson and Miranda Maverick was scheduled for this event, but it was cancelled on the day of the event after Robertson had a non-COVID related illness.[29][30]

Results

Main Card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Kamaru Usman (c) def. Gilbert Burns TKO (punches) 3 0:34 [a]
Women's Flyweight Alexa Grasso def. Maycee Barber Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Kelvin Gastelum def. Ian Heinisch Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Featherweight Ricky Simón def. Brian Kelleher Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Middleweight Julian Marquez def. Maki Pitolo Submission (anaconda choke) 3 4:17
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Middleweight Anthony Hernandez def. Rodolfo Vieira Submission (guillotine choke) 2 1:53
Welterweight Belal Muhammad def. Dhiego Lima Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Women's Strawweight Polyana Viana def. Mallory Martin Submission (armbar) 1 3:18
Catchweight (140 lb) Chris Gutiérrez def. Andre Ewell Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–28, 29–27) 3 5:00
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight Gabriel Green def. Philip Rowe Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
  1. ^ For the UFC Welterweight Championship.

[31]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[32]

  • Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
  • Performance of the Night: Kamaru Usman, Julian Marquez, Anthony Hernandez and Polyana Viana

See also

References

  1. ^ Mike Bohn (2021-02-14). "UFC 258 post-event facts: Kamaru Usman's resume hits legendary status". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  2. ^ Newswire (2021-01-20). "Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns official for UFC 258 next month". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  3. ^ Rishabh Singh (2020-11-17). "Kamaru Usman will defend his welterweight title on February 13". essentiallysports.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  4. ^ Farah Hannoun (2020-06-09). "Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns headlines UFC 251 on 'Fight Island' in Abu Dhabi". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  5. ^ Mike Bohn (2020-07-03). "Gilbert Burns tests positive for COVID-19, out of UFC 251 headliner vs. Kamaru Usman". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  6. ^ Damon Martin (2020-09-01). "Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns targeted for UFC 256 in December". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  7. ^ Ariel Helwani (2020-10-05). "Sources: Usman-Burns fight on Dec. 12 is off". espn.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  8. ^ Kristen King (2020-11-13). "Report: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Ian Heinisch added to UFC event in January". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  9. ^ Ross Cole (2020-12-23). "UFC scraps plans for January 30th Fight Night event". mmainsight.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  10. ^ Staff (2020-11-20). "BJJ specialist Rodolfo Vieira meets Anthony Hernandez at UFC event on January 16". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2020-11-21. (in Dutch)
  11. ^ Jay Pettry (2021-01-01). "Positive COVID-19 test for Anthony Hernandez pushes Rodolfo Vieira match to Feb. 13". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  12. ^ Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn (2020-11-21). "Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera 2 added to UFC Fight Night on Jan. 30". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  13. ^ Ben Fowlkes (2015-11-07). "UFC Fight Night 77 results: Jimmie Rivera takes split decision from Pedro Munhoz". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  14. ^ Mike Heck and Guilherme Cruz (2021-01-07). "Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera rematch rescheduled for UFC 258". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  15. ^ Damon Martin and Guilherme Cruz (2021-02-09). "Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera off UFC 258, fight to be rescheduled for later date". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  16. ^ Farah Hannoun (2020-11-16). "With Sean Brady out, Belal Muhammad faces Dhiego Lima at UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  17. ^ Staff (2020-12-15). "COVID-19 takes Belal Muhammad out of Dhiego Lima bout at UFC Fight Night 183". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  18. ^ Staff (2021-01-08). "Dhiego Lima vs. Belal Muhammad rebooked for UFC 258 in February". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  19. ^ Sergio Pineiro (2021-01-28). "Brian Kelleher and Ricky Simon rebooked for UFC 258 on February 13". bloodycanvas.net. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  20. ^ Staff (2020-08-29). "Ricky Simon says he's out of Brian Kelleher fight after cornerman's positive COVID-19 test". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  21. ^ Mike Heck and Guilherme Cruz (2021-01-01). "Positive COVID-19 test scratches Brian Kelleher from UFC Fight Island 7 bout with Ricky Simon". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  22. ^ Mike Bohn (2020-11-17). "Uriah Hall, Chris Weidman agree to rematch at UFC 258 on Feb. 13". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  23. ^ Keith D'Souza (2020-12-09). "Uriah Hall set to rematch Chris Weidman at UFC 258". essentiallysports.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  24. ^ Ariel Helwani (2021-01-28). "Chris Weidman tests positive for COVID-19, bout vs. Uriah Hall now off". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  25. ^ Mike Bohn (2021-01-29). "Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman rematch shifts from UFC 258 to UFC 261 after positive COVID-19 result". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  26. ^ Nolan King and George Garcia (2021-02-01). "UFC 258 adds Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller as late addition to lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  27. ^ Jamie Penick (2021-02-01). "With Bobby Green injured, UFC 172 shakes up lightweight bouts with Miller-Medeiros and Ellenberger-Rocha now booked". mmatorch.com. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  28. ^ Simon Samano (2021-02-12). "Bobby Green collapses after UFC 258 weigh-ins, pulled from Jim Miller fight". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  29. ^ Damon Martin (2021-01-13). "Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick booked for UFC 258 in February". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  30. ^ Steven Marrocco (2021-02-13). "Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick scratched from UFC 258 after Robertson falls ill". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  31. ^ "UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  32. ^ Dave Doyle (2021-02-14). "UFC 258 bonuses: Kamaru Usman leads four 'Performance of the Night' honors". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.