His pursuit of the former welterweight champion began a month ago when he offered to replace Leon Edwards opposite Woodley in the main event of the later-cancelled UFC London card on March 21. Edwards was bumped from the headliner when escalating coronavirus concerns prompted the UFC to attempt to move the event from London to tribal lands in Oklahoma.
Even though those alternate plans also fell through, Burns told MMA Fighting that Woodley’s side never committed to accepting Burns as a replacement anyway. The issue could have ended there if it wasn’t for Woodley’s public response, which Burns called into question.