Gilbert Burns had a terrific opening round on his title fight at UFC 258, hurting Kamaru Usman multiple times and even knocking him down early. The champion though, showcased his veteran savvy, staying composed and adjusting until he eventually found a way to land his own shots to successfully defend his title.
It was a heartbreaking loss for Burns, who said the difference in the contest is how Usman remained calm, while he got “overexcited.” He compared his costly mistake to former champion Cody Garbrandt’s during his tough losses.
“I got overexcited. I went (like) my guy, Cody Garbrandt crazy as soon as I hurt him,” Burns said, breaking down his title bout at the UFC 258 post-fight press conference.