Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman looked to be in trouble early in his UFC 258 bout against former teammate Gilbert Burns on Saturday night at the Apex.
Usman recovered in the second round and finished Burns 34 seconds into the third with a series of right hands to retain the belt.
The victory was Usman’s 13th straight since entering the UFC in 2015, breaking Georges St. Pierre’s record for consecutive wins in the welterweight division. It was also his 17th consecutive win overall.
Burns struck first with a big right hand that staggered Usman, though he caught himself from hitting the match and avoiding the first knockdown of his UFC career. Burns looked dangerous throughout the rest of the first round only to see Usman take control with several shots that rocked Burns in the second.
A right hand to open the third put Burns on his back and had referee Herb Dean standing over him looking poised to stop the fight. Usman followed him to the ground and landed a series of shots to force Dean’s hand.