Report: Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns Off UFC 256 Card on December 12th.

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC

The planned UFC welterweight title clash between incumbent gold holder, Kamaru 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Usman, and challenger, Gilbert 'Durinho' Burns won't take place at UFC 256 on December 12th. - as originally slated. 

According to a report from ESPN MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, Usman has withdrawn from the event's scheduled headliner, citing a need for more time to recover from a recent injury which is yet to be disclosed. The matchup will remain intact, with an event in either January or February expected to house the rescheduled title tilt. 

Helwani further explained how the promotion had floated the idea of a heavyweight title clash between current champion, Stipe Miocic and former opponent, Francis 'The Predator' Nganno as a possible replacement. Along with that pairing, a welterweight meeting of arch-rivals and former American Top Team teammates, Colby 'Chaos' Covington and Jorge 'Gamebred' Masvidal has been proposed, with neither matchup close to finalization as of yet.

Usman, who most recently defended his welterweight throne in the main event of UFC 251 on 'Fight Island' in July - took on the above mentioned, Masvidal in a dominant five-round decision, after another cancelled pairing with Burns, who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Sanford MMA mainstay earned his crack at Usman and his number-one contender's status at UFC Fight Night Vegas at the end of May in a one-sided unanimous judging win over former division best, Tyron 'The Chosen One' Woodley. 

A welterweight title pairing of Usman and Burns was set to round off a doubleheader of title clashes, as Amanda Nunes is set to defend her featherweight crown opposite contender, Megan Anderson in the co-headliner.