UFC 258
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | February 13, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise , United States |
Area served | Global (via broadcast) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts competition |
UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 13, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
The main event featured a UFC Welterweight Championship clash with defending titleholder Kamaru Usman facing challenger Gilbert Burns. This matchup was initially planned for UFC 251 but was delayed after Burns tested positive for COVID-19. It was also briefly scheduled for UFC 256, but Usman withdrew due to injury rehabilitation.
Additional significant fights included a middleweight bout between former interim title contender Kelvin Gastelum and Ian Heinisch, which had been postponed from a canceled January card. Another middleweight encounter involving five-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion Rodolfo Vieira against Anthony Hernandez was rescheduled here following Hernandez's COVID-19 positive result that caused an earlier delay.
A bantamweight rematch featuring Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera experienced several postponements attributed to undisclosed reasons and COVID-19 related issues, ultimately being moved to a future event. The welterweight fight between Dhiego Lima and Belal Muhammad, originally slated for December 2020 but canceled after Muhammad contracted COVID-19, was held at UFC 258.
The featherweight contest between Brian Kelleher and Ricky Simón underwent multiple cancellations due to COVID-19 infections within their camps before finally taking place at this event. A middleweight rematch between former champion Chris Weidman and Uriah Hall, initially booked for this card, was postponed after Weidman tested positive for COVID-19 and later rescheduled for UFC 261.
A lightweight bout featuring Bobby Green versus Jim Miller, previously called off in 2014 due to injury, was again canceled at UFC 258 after Green collapsed following the weigh-ins. Furthermore, a women's flyweight matchup between Gillian Robertson and Miranda Maverick was canceled on the day of the event because of Robertson suffering from an illness unrelated to COVID-19.
Bonus awards
The UFC granted $50,000 bonuses recognizing exceptional performances:
- Fight of the Night: No award given.
- Performance of the Night: Kamaru Usman, Julian Marquez, Anthony Hernandez, and Polyana Viana