Getty Jorge Masvidal
Former two-time UFC 170-pound challenger Jorge Masvidal may not remain retired, according to his last opponent, No. 5-ranked welterweight Gilbert Burns. That’s because he’ll seek out a fight with a “big name” like Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz, “Durinho” told MMA Junkie in a recent interview.
“Right now he’s retired, and as a title contender he’s retired, but for big money fights against (Conor) McGregor or Nate Diaz or another big name, I think he returns,” Burns said.
Burns and “Gamebred” fought at UFC 287 earlier this month in Miami, Florida. And after three rounds, Durinho came out on top with a unanimous decision, handing Masvidal his fourth-straight defeat inside the Octagon.
The loss prompted the 38-year-old combatant to walk away from professional mixed martial arts — something he had actively engaged in for 20 years.
Burns Called Masvidal ‘A Natural Fighter,’ Said He Was ‘Very Dangerous’ in Their Bout
Even though Masvidal admitted to Ariel Helwani on MMA Fighting’s “The MMA Hour” that he felt like he had lost a step, and it was the appropriate time to hang up his gloves, Burns said Gamebred was “very dangerous” for the entirety of their 15-minute clash.
“He was very dangerous in there,” Burns said. “He kept fighting the entire time. He’s very dangerous. Even when I was grappling him, he had all the answers. He knows how to respond, where to put his hands, what to do when he gets brought back to the canvas. He’s very intelligent. With all the training and work that I did with my trainers, he was still very smart.
“Some people ask me, ‘Why didn’t you knock him out? Why didn’t you knock him out?’ Man, he was always fighting. He’s a natural fighter, and there was never a moment I felt I could relax. If he wants it and feels he still has the heart, he can fight. But if his heart is not in it and doesn’t want to work hard, it’s time.”
Masvidal Won’t Say ‘No’ to a Possible Switch to Boxing But Said He’s Done With MMA & Won’t Switch to Bare-Knuckle Boxing
Masvidal told Helwani that although he wouldn’t try his hands at bare-knuckle boxing or make a return to mixed martial arts, he wouldn’t completely shut down the idea of boxing, especially considering he owns the boxing promotion Gamebred Boxing.
“I’m not going to say no to it,” Masvidal said about the possibility of boxing in the future. “If something crazy came about, yeah I would entertain it. Obviously, first and foremost I’d have to get the UFC’s permission.
“They’d have to be the ones to grace me with that because I’m still under contract with the UFC.” But, Masvidal remained adamant that for now, he was done fighting as he wasn’t the “same me” anymore. “Why sell myself short?” he said.
“I truly wish I could have what I had at 33, 34,” Gamebred continued. “[If] that type of speed was still in me I’d go another XYZ years. But, it’s not there.”
Masvidal retired with a professional record of 35-17, which includes 16 wins via KO/TKO.