UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns says he’s already “feeling better” after being infected by COVID-19, which knocked him out of UFC 251.

Burns was set to fight Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event of UFC 251 on Fight Island, but late Friday night it was revealed that Burns tested positive and was removed from the card. The UFC worked hard all weekend to find a replacement opponent for Usman, and in the end, they were able to strike a deal with Masvidal. Usman vs. Masvidal is now official and will headline UFC 251.

On Sunday, Burns took to his Twitter to give an update on how he was feeling, saying that he had a “heavy headache” and was in quarantine. On Monday, Burns took to social media once again, this time saying that he’s feeling better and his headache is going away.

https://twitter.com/GilbertDurinho/status/1280181769036345344

Feeling better today headache slowing down today!

Although it’s unfortunate that Burns got sick, the good news is that he is already feeling better. After flying to Las Vegas ahead of a charter flight to Abu Dhabi, Burns is now back home in his native Florida resting and recovering from his illness. Hopefully, he feels better soon and tests negative so he can get back to training and hopefully get back in the cage sometime later this year.

Now the question is, does the UFC give Burns a title shot when he returns to the Octagon? It really depends on a lot of factors. Should Usman beat Masvidal as the betting odds are suggesting, then there are numerous fights for him including Burns, Colby Covington, and Leon Edwards. Should Masvidal beat Usman, then you have potential title fights against all those names plus the likes of Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.

Do you think the UFC should give Gilbert Burns an immediate title shot upon his return to the Octagon hopefully later this year?