What makes a champion memorable is the excellence, of course, but also the storylines that come with the accomplishments. Against Burns, it was the classic friends-turned-enemies scenario. Although the heat behind the fight was never more vicious, the competitiveness between the old (and revived) sparring partners led to a fascinating showdown aided by Burns’ supposedly perfect skills to counter Usman’s talents.
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After a disappointing performance in his unanimous decision win over Masvidal, Usman faced immediate adversity against Burns, who rocked him early. Usman showed the determination of a champion, however, as well as lessons learned from Trevor Wittman, whom Usman trained with once the fight with Burns was booked.
Usman vs. Colby Covington 2
