What will the welterweight division look like when UFC returns to normal?

The UFC has tried continuing operations during the coronavirus pandemic, but its schedule has, predictably, been disrupted.

With that in mind, let's look at some key storylines in the promotion's welterweight division and explore how they might play out once regular operations resume.

Is there any reason Usman-Masvidal won't happen?

Colby Covington is convinced his rival, Jorge Masvidal, is going to price himself out of a welterweight title fight against champion Kamaru Usman.

"Chaos" also thinks he'll be the one to take Masvidal's spot and get the next title shot.

But I'm not so sure about that.

Usman-Masvidal is the biggest fight the UFC can put together in the welterweight division. Masvidal was red-hot in 2019, including stoppage wins over Ben Askren and Nate Diaz, and he's arguably one of the UFC's top stars. Usman, meanwhile, is coming off an epic TKO of Covington last December, and his style would pose a problem for Masvidal.

Usman wasn't initially sold on fighting Masvidal, as he thought Leon Edwards was more deserving. But Usman's grown on it over time, and their run-in on Super Bowl radio row in February probably helped with that. Usman recently said he's confident Masvidal will be his next opponent.

Even if Masvidal holds out for more money, as Covington suggests, the UFC should be willing to give "Gamebred" what he wants after his breakout 2019.

The only way I don't see Usman-Masvidal happening is if the UFC comes around to a fight between Masvidal and Conor McGregor - which, as of January, Masvidal preferred over a title shot. But there's been no talk about that bout in the past few months, and with the Irishman seemingly focused on the lightweight division, the odds of that changing seem slim.

Woodley's next opponent: Edwards or Covington?

Former champion Tyron Woodley was scheduled to meet Edwards in the UFC London main event March 21, but the card was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since then, Woodley's been in talks to fight Covington twice - at UFC London (after it was temporarily moved to the United States, forcing Edwards off the card), and then at UFC 249 on April 18, which was also eventually canceled.

Both are solid matchups for Woodley, who's yet to compete since his title loss to Usman in March 2019. I'd also say they're equally difficult, but Woodley has bad blood with Covington, so that's whom he should want to face.

Woodley and Covington were expected to fight each other in 2018 when the former still held the belt, but it didn't come to fruition. They both used to train at American Top Team in Florida, but they've traded many verbal jabs in recent years. There hasn't been much discussion about a potential bout between the two since Woodley dropped the belt, but it appears there's a renewed interest.

I feel bad for Edwards because he was due for a big fight, and a win over Woodley would've earned him a shot at the title. Also, it was set for his home country. But I suspect the UFC will ultimately forgo rebooking that bout in favor of the Woodley-Covington clash, as it's bound to do great numbers for the promotion.

Which fighter does the hiatus hurt the most?

It absolutely hurts Edwards the most.

The Brit has struggled for recognition in the UFC despite an eight-fight winning streak, and the Woodley bout was his opportunity to make a splash in a deep division and finally get a crack at the title.

UFC London was all about Edwards - it was a big main event in his home country - and now that's gone. Who knows if the UFC will return to London in 2020, or if Edwards will still get the Woodley fight.

Edwards is stuck in England with the UFC trying to put together fight cards in the United States. The promotion hasn't committed to booking Woodley-Covington, but it's not a good sign for Edwards that Woodley has been constantly calling out the former interim champ. Once again, it seems like "Rocky" will be the odd man out in the title picture.

What's one fight you'd like to see?

Geoff Neal versus Vicente Luque would be an outstanding clash between two of the most promising - and hardest-hitting - UFC welterweights.

Neal, who's 5-0 in the promotion, is coming off an impressive TKO win over Mike Perry. That was the first time "Platinum" had been stopped by strikes, and Neal did it in 90 seconds.

Luque is coming off a tough loss to former title challenger Stephen Thompson, but there's no shame in that. "The Silent Assassin" should still be able to make waves at 170 pounds, and he likely learned a lot from his latest stumble, which snapped a six-fight winning streak.

It'd be tough for Neal and Luque - ranked No. 12 and 13 in the division, respectively - to both make it to the top, as welterweight is loaded with contenders. So, throw them in the Octagon against each other and find out who's best fit for a title run.

Who's a rising fighter to watch?

Gilbert Burns.

The Brazilian has looked unstoppable since moving up to the welterweight division, most recently stopping ex-title challenger Demian Maia with a first-round TKO in March.

The No. 6 welterweight came into the UFC years ago as an elite jiu-jitsu player, but he's developed all of his other skills to become a well-rounded fighter.

I don't think anyone expected "Durinho" to do as well as he's done at welterweight, myself included, but I'm done counting him out. Even at the age of 33, he seems to be getting better. I wouldn't be surprised to see Burns in a No. 1 contender bout - or even a title fight - in the foreseeable future.