Kamaru Usman defeated Gilbert Burns by technical knockout in the third round to retain the UFC welterweight title on Saturday night in the UFC 258 main event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The stoppage came at 34 seconds of the round.
Usman, who was briefly stunned by Burns’ right hand in the opening round, took control of the fight in Round 2 when he landed a big right hand that sent Burns reeling towards the cage.
Usman dropped Burns again with a jab at the start of Round 3 and followed with several major attacks on the ground that forced referee Herb Dean to jump and stop the fight.
Usman (18-1), 33, has been a champion since March 2019 and has three successful title saves. The Nigerian, who grew up in Texas, never lost in the UFC, with 13 consecutive wins.
Burns (19-4), 34, entered a streak of six straight wins, including a unanimous decision over Tyron Woodley last May. The Brazilian, who lives and trains in Florida, is 4 to 1 years old since he went up slightly to a welterweight in 2019.
ESPN has Usman as its fifth MMA fighter in the world ranking. In the welterweight division, Usman is ranked 1st and Burns ranked 5th.