Getty Jorge Masvdal vs. Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 in July 2020.
Undisputed UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has made it clear, he wants to rematch Jorge Masvidal next. “The Nigerian Nightmare” is coming off a third-round TKO victory over Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 last weekend, defending his 170-pound strap for the third time.
During his post-fight interview with color commentator Joe Rogan, Usman (18-1) called for “Gamebred” to be his next opponent. The two fought in July at UFC 251 and Usman won the contest via unanimous decision.
However, it was a fight that Masvidal took on less than a week’s notice as Burns was initially slated to fight Usman but pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19.
GettyKamaru Usman & Jorge Masvidal
Last month, Usman told ESPN he was not happy with her performance against Masvidal, explaining that he had a broken his nose before the bout and was fighting on “autopilot.” The Nigerian Nightmare is confident that with a full camp, he’ll earn a much more decisive victory over the UFC’s “Baddest Motherf*****.”
Usman spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto this week about his campaign for the rematch and why he wants it.
“[Masvidal] knows he can’t beat me,” Usman said via ESPN. “There are certain guys you just know, ‘I can’t beat that dude.’ He just doesn’t have the skills to beat me. Now, can a freak accident happen on any given day? Absolutely. But 10 times out of 10, I beat him badly, which is why I looked at him. It’s my show. I pick who I fight. At this point, I just didn’t like all the circumstances I had to deal with going into [the first fight with Masvidal], and it left a sour taste in my mouth. The s*** they’ve talked has left a sour taste in my mouth. I need to put him in the ground for good.”
According to Masvidal’s social media, he appears to be all-in for the rematch.
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The UFC Is Considering Usman & Masvidal as Coaches for the Next Season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ ESPN Reported
The UFC is planning to bring back its hallmark reality television show, The Ultimate Fighter, later this year. And according to The Nigerian Nightmare’s manager Ali Abdelaziz, the promotion is looking into having Usman and Masvidal coach on the show opposite of each other.
No contracts have been signed, but Abdelaziz told ESPN that he and Usman had a very positive conversation about it with UFC president Dana White recently.
“Kamaru said, ‘Listen, The Ultimate Fighter on ESPN, the biggest platform in the world, that’s what we want,'” Abdelaziz said via ESPN. “Jorge Masvidal is a star, you can’t take that away from him, but we believe Kamaru will go out and put a nail in the coffin this time. Kamaru and Dana sat down and on our end, we’re all for it. Dana is the boss and he makes the decisions, but I think Dana is showing him the respect of giving him what he wants. It makes sense for everybody.
“There is no contract yet, but did Dana like the idea? Of course. Now, he has to think about it and we’re hoping it gets done on the other end.”
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Masvidal Is Currently Ranked No. 4 in the Welterweight Division
Masvidal has nearly 50 MMA fights, holding a professional record of 35-14. He is 3-1 in his last four contests and is currently ranked No. 4 in the talent-stacked 170-pound division.
Prior to losing to Usman, Gamebred rattled off three victories, defeating Nate Diaz, Ben Askren and Darren Till.
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