Gilbert Burns announces he’s “covid free”

On Monday afternoon, surging UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns announced that he has tested negative for COVID-19.

Burns was expected to challenge Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Regrettably, he tested positive for COVID-19, and was promptly removed from the matchup as a result. He was then replaced by Jorge Masvidal, who Usman defeated by unanimous decision.

The good news is that Burns seems to have kicked COVID-19. He announced this news on Twitter on Monday, sharing an image of his negative test.

Covid Free! 🙏🏾
Sem Corona! 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/A6Pb4srIaP

— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 20, 2020

“Covid Free,” he wrote in the caption for his post.

After Burns withdrew from from his fight with Usman, there was some question as to what would be next for him.

According to UFC President Dana White, however, Burns has not lost his position as the next man in line for a welterweight title shot.

Dana White says @GilbertDurinho is next for Kamaru Usman, not Jorge Masvidal rematch #UFCFightIsland2

— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) July 17, 2020

Burns also recently confessed that he’s glad Usman prevailed at UFC 251, as he worried a Jorge Masvidal victory could complicate the title situation in the division.

“I was very happy with the result of the fight,” Burns said to MMA Fighting. “It couldn’t have gone any better. I knew the fight was going down that way, that it would be boring, but I had Kamaru winning by decision [ahead of the fight]/

“I was like, ‘Man, [Masvidal] can’t win,’” Burns added. “I believed—even if both guys had a full training camp—that Kamaru would beat him. It would be the same.

“If you’re just a striker, he’s gonna take you down, he’s gonna hold you down, beat you down and make you tired. That’s just Kamaru, but I was hoping Kamaru would win. I didn’t want any surprises.”

Do you think Gilbert Burns will capture the UFC welterweight title now that’s healthy?