Jorge Masvidal Says He Would Like to Make UFC Comeback
Jorge Masvidal thought everything was going great with boxing. Masvidal drew a $1 million gate when he fought Nate Diaz. Despite losing a split decision in July in Anaheim, Masvidal had to feel good when he saw nearly 18,000 people attending the fight card.
But MMAfighting latest news shows that the fight didn’t sell well on pay-per-view. It’s hard to know exactly why it didn’t do big numbers. There are a lot of problems with people finding illegal streams to watch the broadcast.
It may also be a referendum on the idea of exhibition boxing matches. While Jake Paul helped bring them to prominence, the market has been oversaturated. Through all of the changes in his career, Masvidal has always kept his love for MMA.
Recently, Masvidal said he would like to go back to the UFC.
Masvidal Ready For a Last Ride
It’s hard for Masvidal not to feel the pull to go back to the UFC, where he had his greatest professional success. Masvidal is also still under contract with the promotion, making it impossible for him to chase his passion anywhere else.
Masvidal, 39, caught lightning in a bottle in 2019. The best MMA news site shows that Masvidal had a year that is nearly unmatched in the history of the UFC. Entering the year being mostly regarded as a journeyman, Masvidal suddenly vaulted into the main event picture.
During his first fight of 2019, Masvidal shocked many observers by going to London and knocking out Darren Till in the second round. Till was coming off a title shot against Tyrone Woodley.
Masvidal then engaged in a wild buildup to a fight with former Bellator champion Ben Askren. Masvidal opened his fight with Askren with a flying knee that knocked his opponent out in five seconds, which is the fastest knockout in the promotion’s history.
BMF, Masvidal Earns a Shot at the Belt
Masvidal closed out 2019 by fighting for a different kind of belt. Thanks largely to a joke from Diaz, the UFC created what was supposed to be a one-off belt for the “Baddest mother(expletive)” in the UFC. Masvidal fought Diaz at UFC 244 for the belt and won by doctor’s stoppage after the third round.
But Masvidal never defended his BMF title. Instead, Masvidal, despite his 35-14 career record, earned a shot at the welterweight belt because of his willingness to fly halfway across the world and fight Kamaru Usman on short notice.
Masvidal never recovered from that loss. During a rematch with Usman, Masvidal was knocked out in the second round. He then lost a rivalry match with Colby Covington before retiring after his fourth straight loss, a loss via decision to Gilbert Burns.
What About Gamebred Promotions?
There haven’t been any reports that Masvidal’s return to the UFC will impact Gamebred Promotions, which puts on bare knuckle MMA. The company’s website has news posted from June 2024 about fighters signing with the organization.
Gamebred’s next event will feature a heavyweight fight between Roy Nelson and Alan Belcher in November at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. Masvidal has been successful in getting a lot of former MMA fighters to join the promotion. Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos won Gamebred’s heavyweight belt as well.
Most Likely Fight Definitely Won’t Happen
The fight that makes the most sense probably won’t happen. Masvidal and Covington have bad blood that stretches back for years. The MMA latest updates show that the promotion for their last fight caused a lot of issues.
Masvidal took a lot of Covington’s nasty words personally. While Covington won in the octagon, Masvidal wasn’t ready to be done with him yet. When the two men bumped into each other outside of a Miami steakhouse after their first, Masvidal sucker punched Covington.
Masvidal would end up pleading no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge. It is unlikely the two men would be paired up together again. But it’s probably the option that would make the most sense for both men.
Covington has been inactive since his loss to Leon Edwards for the title and is unlikely to ever make a legitimate run at the belt himself.
Cormier Questions Return
Former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier criticized the thought of Masvidal’s return. He doesn’t believe that Masvidal has the name recognition to draw fan interest. But Masvidal didn’t waste any time calling out a possible opponent.
Masvidal said he would like to fight Michael Chandler. Chandler, a former Bellator champion, has been sitting on the sidelines for nearly two years waiting to fight Conor McGregor. With it looking less and less likely that McGregor will return, Masvidal is willing to come back for the last pay-per-view in 2024 and give Chandler someone to fight.
It will be interesting to see if Chandler is willing to go in another direction. Chandler wants to fight McGregor for the big payday, but how long can he afford to not work? Masvidal is a good matchup for Chandler, who is a well-rounded fighter and former Bellator champion.
Masvidal would likely struggle to contain Chandler’s skillset.
What is Masvidal’s MMA Legacy?
While the Till knockout was impressive, there will be nothing more exciting in MMA than Masvidal landing the flying knee against Askren. It was a perfect moment that cemented him as a star.
Before 2019, Masvidal was mostly viewed as a reliable veteran fighter. Masvidal had started out fighting on the streets in Miami before he found his way to the more structured sport of MMA. Masvidal is 35-17 for his career in MMA.
He has 16 knockouts and is hoping to come back to the UFC and try to pursue the belt again. Masvidal will never win the belt, but could provide some compelling fights for the UFC audience.
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By Dean McHugh.
