Gilbert Burns Says He Is The Riskiest Fight For Tyron Woodley

Former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley and Leon Edwards were originally set to headline UFC Fight Night London before the card was postponed due to the coronavirus. 

During the craziness surrounding the card, one fighter in Edwards almost got replaced by Gilbert Burns before Woodley allegedly turned him down as an opponent and Burns knows why.

“The fight started to get real,” Burns said to MMA Fighting. “The UFC really offered me the fight. I had a flight leaving Brazil on Monday, the UFC changed my flight so I left on Sunday night. I got here by Monday, I was ready to go. Everything was going good until Colby [Covington] started talking a little bit, then the fight turn a little bit towards Colby’s side. But then he wasn’t cleared to fight and I was cleared. [Rafael dos Anjos] got in the conversation as well. They’re looking for RDA. To be honest, Tyron Woodley declined the fight a couple times until he got options. He got Colby, so he’d rather get Colby. RDA got in the conversation, he’d rather fight RDA. But for sure, I was the riskiest fight for him.”

Other fighters such as former UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Colby Covington and former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos were also in the running to face Woodley.

Burns says his ability to either knockout or tap Woodley is what made him the former champion’s riskiest fight.

“There’s a lot of risk for him,” Burns said. “I can knock him out. What’s he going to do? Take me down? And do what? I’m one of the best grapplers in that division for sure. It’s a risky fight. But my management and Woodley’s management, they dislike each other so that conversation might be crazy. I don’t have a lot of clue what he’s talking about but I know they don’t like each other. But I’m a risky fight for Tyron Woodley, I kind of get it. It’s business. For sure, I was the riskiest fight for Tyron Woodley.”

Woodley is expected to face Edwards again once the UFC goes back to a full schedule, while Burns’ next foe is unknown at this time.