Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington say they will intervene with Gilbert Burns of UFC 251

Gilbert Burns was pulled from the UFC 251 main event against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman after testing positive for COVID-19. Fellow contenders Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington are ready to step in and fight.

The burns were expected to challenge Usman after a six-fight, two-fight victory race this year, despite the pandemic. But now that pandemic has caught up with Burns and has stalled his momentum.

He tested positive before boarding a plane in Las Vegas that was bound for UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

Now it is not clear what happens to Usman, but Masvidal and Covington seem to be prepared to intervene.

Masvidal has been in the middle of a contractual dispute with the UFC, so it remains to be seen if the promotion is willing to move into position now that its monstrous UFC 251 fight card has been cut. There are two other championship bouts scheduled for UFC 251, but the triple header was expected to be the icing on a stacked fight card.

Masvidal manager Abraham Kawa told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that his fighter was “absolutely willing” to step in and fight Usman. That, of course, does not address the contractual dispute. But given the UFC’s position of a challenger leaving, it certainly gives Masvidal a little more leverage.

If the UFC chooses to keep Usman on the UFC 251 fight card, there is another option. Also speaking to Helwani, Covington said he has been standing ready for such an opportunity, in fact waiting for it to happen.

“My offer holds. Ball is on the UFC court,” he said. “I’m here to save the day against Marty (Usman) or Judas (Masvidal). Feed either of them. I’m ready. I knew I’d be ready for this seven months ago.”