Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington immediately volunteer to face Kamaru Usman on short notice

Jorge Masvidal | Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

If UFC champion Kamaru Usman is still looking for a fight, a pair of top-ranked welterweights just volunteered their services.

Just minutes after Gilbert Burns was removed from the UFC 251 main event due to a positive test for COVID-19, Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington took to Twitter to potentially save the day.

Masvidal posted a photo featuring his nickname along with the definition “gamebred is an animal that has been bred to be game.”

pic.twitter.com/Odl6aJhCni

— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) July 4, 2020

Prior to Burns getting the call to take the fight, Masvidal was actually expected to face Usman before contract negotiations with the UFC broke down. Masvidal later complained that he was offered less money to fight Usman for the welterweight title than he made for his previous bout against Nate Diaz.

When the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, Masvidal was out of a title shot and Burns took his place fresh off of a win over former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

Covington also jumped at the chance to score a rematch with Usman after he engaged in a Fight of the Night battle with him this past December. While Covington came up short that night, he’s been itching for a rematch ever since.

“You know who they’re gonna call Marty and it ain’t the Ghostbusters Junior!” Covington posted along with a photo from his previous fight with Usman.

You know who they’re gonna call Marty and it ain’t the Ghostbusters Junior! pic.twitter.com/9RgHd4Cczi

— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) July 4, 2020

As much as Masvidal and Covington might be willing to take a title fight on one week’s notice, the chances that either of them actually get the call is slim to none.

After Burns tested positive for COVID-19, Usman reportedly did not board his chartered flight to Abu Dhabi for the event. In addition to that, all fighters who are competing on the UFC “Fight Island” cards are required to undergo COVID-19 testing before being quarantined while awaiting results.

Only then can they board a flight to Abu Dhabi, which is exactly what happened to knock Burns out of his fight at UFC 251.

It remains to be seen if the UFC might move Usman to a different card with a replacement opponent at a later date.