After months of back-and-forth, Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns finally have a date to meet in the Octagon. Per the latest announcement from UFC boss Dana White, Burns vs. Masvidal will serve as the co-main event for UFC 287 on April 8. The welterweight grudge match will also be a huge opportunity for both fighters to take a step forward in their title aspirations. With Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards set to write the final chapter of their rivalry at UFC 286, Masvidal vs. Burns could be a potential title eliminator.

Both ‘Gamebred’ and ‘Durinho’ expressed their interest in fighting each other in 2022. However, the bout did not materialize, and both fighters had a public war of words calling out each other’s statements.

A closer look at Jorge Masvidal vs. Gilbert Burns

Jorge Masvidal has not won a fight in the octagon since winning the BMF belt in November 2019. After beating Nate Diaz at UFC 244, ‘Gamebred’ has had two consecutive welterweight title shots. He lost to former champion Kamaru Usman convincingly in both fights, with the second one ending in a devastating knockout.

In March 2022, Jorge Masvidal finally had his grudge match against friend-turned-foe Colby Covington. However, the BMF could not capitalize on the opportunity as ‘Chaos’ dominantly wrestled his way to a victory. On a three-fight skid, with two of them being title shots, things were not looking too great for ‘Street Jesus.’

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Burns, on the other hand, is riding a huge wave of momentum. Ever since losing the title fight against Usman in February 2021, ‘Durinho’ is 2-1 in the next three. His only loss was a razor-thin decision after pushing the seemingly invincible Khamzat Chimaev to the limits. Despite the loss, the fight only raised Burns’ stocks.

His recent win over Neil Magny at UFC 283 only made his case for a title shot stronger. Gilbert Burns has been publicly calling for another fight since his UFC 283 win, and his prayers have now been answered.

“He Keeps Losing”: Leon Edwards Expresses Disappointment in Jorge Masvidal

Despite his losses, Jorge Masvidal is still a big PPV name. A win over him could give Gilbert Burns a huge boost in popularity. As for ‘Gamebred’, ending Burns’ current momentum could help him make a case for another title shot. If Edwards can get past ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and Masvidal beats Burns, we could even see a grudge match for the title between the two.

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All things considered, Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal has all the makings of a barnburner fight. Who are you picking to win at UFC 287? Let us know in the comments below.