Nate Diaz slams Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns: ‘This isn’t a title fight’

UFC president Dana White revealed on Tuesday that “Fight Island” is located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The first fight card to take place at the location will be UFC 251 on July 11, featuring a welterweight title bout between champion Kamaru Usman and challenger Gilbert Burns.

Following the announcement, Nate Diaz criticized the headlining match-up calling it “not a title fight.”

This is what’s wrong with people claiming they’re fighters settling for less cause they know they’re not worth shit you should’ve fought the next guy in line not the guy who would take less cause he’s told too that’s why no one will remember youguys
This isn’t a title fight pic.twitter.com/7GLJUJA45C

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) June 9, 2020

“This is what’s wrong with people claiming they’re fighters. Settling for less cause they know they’re not worth s–t. You should’ve fought the next guy in line not the guy who would take less cause he’s told to,” wrote Diaz.

“That’s why no one will remember you guys. This isn’t a title fight.”

How did Gilbert Burns pass Jorge Masvidal for the UFC title fight?

After his win over former champion Tyron Woodley, Burns is ranked as the top contender in the welterweight division. Many people believe that Jorge Masvidal should have been next in line for the title shot, but Masvidal is currently in a contract dispute with the fight promotion.

White has been saying that Masvidal was next for Usman. Masvidal recently started blowing up Twitter and doing interviews saying that he proved his worth with his UFC 244 bout with Nate Diaz, and thus wanted a bigger piece of the revenue share than he’s been getting.

Masvidal’s comments followed those of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who has also been posting on social media about saying he’s not getting enough money for fighting to be worth it any longer.

Citing news eight-fight contracts that Jones and Masvidal signed in recent months, White appeared dumbfounded that they would be trying to negotiate after just one fight each on their new contracts. He added that if fighters don’t want to fight, for whatever reason, they are welcome to sit out.

“Masvidal just signed a new deal seven months ago,” White explained on ESPN’s First Take. “Gilbert Burns is fighting Usman. The kid has fought four times in nine months. He’s well-rounded. You look at the guys he just beat. He beat Woodley, and he just beat Demian Maia. He beat Gunnar Nelson, and now he’s going to take on Usman.”

The fight with Usman will be Burns’s third fight in four months. He defeated Maia on the UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira card that was the first UFC event without an audience in attendance. That took place as the United States and Brazil started to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. He then defeated Woodley at the recent UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns event as the UFC returned to regularly scheduled live events. And now he’ll challenge Usman at UFC 251 on Fight Island.

“It looks like Masvidal isn’t going to be fighting anytime soon,” said White.

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