UFC 258 results and recap: Usman stops Burns; Grasso, Gastelum and Simon earn decision wins

Las Vegas, February 14: Kamaru Usman stopped Gilbert Burns to retain the UFC Welterweight title in UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns at the Apex facility in Las Vegas on Saturday (February 13).

In the main event, the showdown between former teammates as UFC champion "The Nigerian Nightmare" Usman and #2 contender "Durinho" Burns started with a bang as Burns landed a huge right that wobbled the champion, and the significant strikes added up from both grapplers.

Usman's jab worked well in the second and then he came into range with huge shots that put Burns on his knees several times. As soon as the third round opened, Usman nailed Burns with a right jab that sat him down, and followed up with punches until the referee waived it off, making it his third successful title defense.

In the Co-Main Event women's flyweight bout, #10 Maycee Barber vs #15 Alexa Grasso engaged in a competitive first round, trading combinations and cage wrestling positions.

Grasso had an excellent second round that started with a left hand that wobbled Barber and ended with an arm triangle attempt. In the third, Barber raised the heat with her striking, takedowns, and clinch work. The grueling fight went to the judges, who awarded Grasso the unanimous decision.

Also on the main card, ranked middleweights #9 Kelvin Gastelum and #15 Ian Heinisch hit the canvas early and began scrambles - Gastelum for position and Heinisch for submissions.

Gastelum kept the heat on with his takedowns and wrestling in round two. Halfway through the third, Heinisch finally got back position, but Gastelum reversed it and finished strong, earning the unanimous decision victory.

In an anticipated featherweight bout Ricky Simon wasted no time in shooting on Brian Kelleher and dominated with his grappling throughout the first round. Kelleher upped his kicks and threatened with guillotines in the second, but Simon was a step ahead, and he carried the momentum into the third. Simon convincingly won the unanimous decision.

Middleweight knockout artists Maki Pitolo and Julian Marquez surprised with a first round grappling display initiated and controlled by Pitolo. The second round was punctuated with big punches, and the grappling superiority went back and forth but ended with Pitolo.

Marquez surged into the third with his striking so Pitolo went back to his grappling, but Marquez one-upped him by getting a D'Arce choke and forced Pitolo to tap out at the end of the round.

In the preliminary card, Belal Muhammad, Chris Gutierrez and Gabriel Green earned decision wins, while Anthony Hernandez and Polyana Viana picked up stoppage wins via submission.

UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns Final Results

Main Card

1. Welterweight title bout: Kamaru Usman (c) defeated Gilbert Burns via third-round TKO at 0:34

2. Women's Flyweight bout: Alexa Grasso defeated Maycee Barber via Unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

3. Middleweight bout: Kelvin Gastelum defeated Ian Heinisch via Unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

4. Featherweight bout: Ricky Simon defeated Brian Kelleher via Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

5. Middleweight bout: Julian Marquez defeated Maki Pitolo via third-round Submission (anaconda choke) at 4:17

Preliminary Card

1. Middleweight bout: Anthony Hernandez defeated Rodolfo Viera via second-round Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:53

2. Welterweight bout: Belal Muhammad defeated Dhiego Lima via Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

3. Women's Strawweight bout: Polyana Viana defeated Mallory Martin via first-round Submission (armbar) at 3:18

4. Catchweight (140 lb) bout: Chris Gutierrez defeated Andre Ewell via Unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-27)

5. Welterweight bout: Gabriel Green defeated Philip Rowe via Unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)