Rumors of a fight between the two have been brewing for quite some time now, as Burns originally called out “The Chosen One” back in March, after quickly dispatching of veteran Demian Maia. Now just two months later, the pair are set to lock horns.
Woodley has not competed since he dropped the welterweight title in March of last year to Kamaru Usman. Despite calling for an immediate rematch, he was scheduled to face perennial contender Leon Edwards on March 21, with their fight ultimately falling through due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
After learning about the unfortunate demise of Woodley vs. Edwards, Burns publicly called out the former champion, stating he was willing to fill in on short notice. Although he received no reply, the Twitter challenges continued to follow.
They've sounded off on social media; now they meet in the main event on May 30.
(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/QbJ1VH4qhH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 19, 2020
Burns has been on a hot streak since moving up to 170 pounds and is currently riding a five-fight win streak, three of which have come at his newfound weight class. In the span of six months, he has defeated Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson and Demian Maia, respectively, thus granting him the #6 position the division’s rankings.
The May 30 event’s location and full fight card are currently unknown, however, UFC President Dana White has revealed his intentions to host the event at UFC Apex.