Report: Gilbert Burns Steps In To Face Gunnar Nelson At UFC Copenhagen

The co-main event of UFC Copenhagen has reportedly been saved.

It was initially going to be a welterweight contest between Gunnar Nelson and Thiago Alves. However, Alves had to pull out due to injury leaving “Gunni” with no opponent.

That’s no longer the case. Burns — who recently made a successful move up to welterweight — had called to step in and that seems to be the case now.

Come on Sign the contract @GunniNelson ! I am ready #BMF Anyone Anywhere Anytime!

Denmark needs a good main event! @ufc @seanshelby @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite @AliAbdelaziz00 @UFCBrasil @UFCEurope @UFCEspanol @henrihooft @CoachGJones @IHPfit @cerradomma pic.twitter.com/gEAs8MIU21

— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) September 13, 2019

According to Combate journalist Raphael Marinho, that fight is set to go ahead:

Gilbert Durinho pediu e conseguiu. Brasileiro vai substituir Thiago Pitbull e enfrenta Gunnar Nelson no UFC Dinamarca, dia 28 de setembro. #feedmma #UFCnoCombate

— Raphael Marinho (@raphamarinho) September 14, 2019

It will be the second fight in a row that Burns steps in on short notice. He moved up from lightweight to defeat Alexey Kunchenko in his welterweight debut last month. In all, he is on a three-fight winning streak.

Nelson, meanwhile, is looking to get back to winning ways. He last suffered a split decision loss to Leon Edwards earlier this year and has lost two of his last three outings.

UFC Copenhagen takes place September 28 and will be headlined by a middleweight encounter between Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier.

What do you think of Nelson vs. Burns?