Getty Is Leon Edwards next for Jorge Masvidal?
The UFC’s “Baddest Motherf*****,” Jorge Masvidal, is coming off a tough loss on Saturday night, however an epic fight has emerged that could help him bounce back.
Masvidal fought for the welterweight belt against champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 261 on April 24. It was a highly anticipated rematch as “Gamebred” looked to secure his first-ever UFC title. It didn’t go his way, however.
The first round was a competitive frame. But in the second round, Gamebred was dropped by Usman on the feet and was knocked out via ground strikes. It was the first time Masvidal had been finished inside the Octagon.
He will need some time to recover from the KO blows and when he’s ready to fight again, a possible opponent appears to be back in the fold.
According to UFC president Dana White, Nick Diaz is ready to fight again. Diaz is the older brother of Nate Diaz, Masvidal’s opponent for the “BMF” belt in November 2019. Fight fans haven’t seen Diaz fight since his bout with Anderson Silva in 2015.
GettyJorge Masvidal & Nick Diaz
“Nick wants to fight,” White said during the post-fight press conference.
White was then asked by a media member if he plans on giving Diaz a fight. The UFC president responded, “Sure.”
When asked about a possible opponent and date, White said, “We’ll see how this goes.”
“He’s waiting for me in the back right now, I’m going to go talk to him.”
Nick Diaz vs. Masvidal for the BMF belt would feature an epic clash on the feet between two game veterans. And the built-in storyline of Diaz trying to avenge his little brother’s loss to Masvidal is the cherry on top.
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Masvidal Is Interested in Fighting Nick Diaz
Speaking with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on Monday, Masvidal confirmed that he would fight Diaz. He also said he understands why Diaz would want the fight too as Gamebred defeated his younger brother already.
“But if Nick [Diaz] does wanna fight toward the end of the year, what could I say, man?” Masvidal said. “I’m here. You wanna do right for your brother? Let’s go. I heard a lot of interviews that he wasn’t too keen on what I did to his little brother. Neither would I. I feel for Nick in that situation. I know what I’d wanna do if somebody did that to my little brother. So, let’s go.”
Jorge Masvidal is open to fighting Nick Diaz and understands why Diaz might want the fight too.
(via @arielhelwani)
Diaz Is One of the Most Beloved Fighters in MMA
Although Diaz hasn’t stepped inside the cage for over five years, he is still one of the biggest names in the sport. Alongside his brother Nate, the Diaz brothers have a strong following because of the realness of their personalities along with their exciting fighting styles.
Diaz has a professional MMA record of 29-9 with two no contests. Thirteen of Diaz’s victories have come way by KO/TKO and eight by submission. He has victories over the likes of Robbie Lawler, BJ Penn and Frank Shamrock.
Diaz, who was also the final Strikeforce welterweight champion before the UFC absorbed the promotion, fought for both the UFC interim and undisputed welterweight titles. He lost both fights by unanimous decision.
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Masvidal Still Holds the ‘BMF’ Title
Although he’s lost to Usman twice since winning the BMF title, Masvidal still holds the belt. From a promotion standpoint, it likely makes sense that Gamebred puts the belt on the line in his next fight.
And who better than Nick Diaz?
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Epic Fight Emerges for ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ Jorge Masvidal