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UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has called on Jorge Masvidal to realize the value of competing against Michael Chandler for the BMF belt.
Fan favorite Chandler is coming off a loss to former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 last month. He started off strong and had Poirier hurt early in the bout. However, Poirier recovered well to battle it out with Chandler in an instant classic. ‘Diamond’ came out on top of the contest by a rear-naked choke in the last round.
Following the loss, Chandler continued rallying for the former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor, who has previously expressed interest in the idea. He issued a callout of Masvidal, arguably the second biggest draw in the sport, for the BMF (Baddest Mother F***er) title but did not receive the response he was hoping for.
Former two-division champion-turned-analyst Cormier took to YouTube to advise Masvidal not to dismiss Chandler so quickly as the matchup could get him where he aims to be.
“I do believe that these guys are smart because (the BMF title) is the one thing that Masvidal has that he values like that to them,” Cormier said. “So they challenge him for that belt hoping that he pays attention to it, trying to get him to bite, and respond, and he does. By responding I think he needs to recognize that there’s more value in the Chandler fight than he believes.
“Because it just might get him closer to what he wants and that’s another shot at the welterweight championship.”
Jorge Masvidal Needs to Realize the Value in Fighting Michael Chandler
‘DC’ shared his breakdown of the potential showdown, suggesting Masvidal weigh all his options before deciding on ‘Iron’ Mike.
“But the first thing he’s got to do is find a way to get on that card. If no one else is available, that guy in Tennessee would step up right away. He’d be ready to scrap with you. That dude’s a dog, he’s nasty and he might not win all the time, but you’re guaranteed to have a fight that will be on the tip of everybody’s tongues when it’s done.
“‘Gamebred’ is saying there isn’t much for him to gain in that fight because Chandler’s a small guy and if he beats him that’s what he’s supposed to do. If it’s competitive, everybody starts to question whether or not he still has it.”
Chandler Is the ‘Next Best Option’ for Masvidal
Chandler added a lot of excitement to the UFC after his arrival in 2021. Given the star power and impact of the former lightweight title challenger, Cormier backed him as a suitable foe for ‘Gamebred.’
“Even ‘Gamebred’ can’t argue that Chandler’s impact earlier is bigger than his impact made immediately in the UFC. Because of that, I think there’s value in this. I know Michael Chandler would not decline a fight in March.
“If there’s no welterweight of one, if there’s no one in the division that will get him close to a championship, you fight the guy with the name.”
Masvidal was linked to face Gilbert Burns in his next bout but Burns got paired with grizzled veteran Neil Magny instead. According to Cormier, Chandler might be the ‘next best option’ for Masvidal.
“The guy that still is on the tip of everybody’s tongue and even though he’s 3-2 in the UFC, he’s fought the best of the best and he’s had dog fights with each and everyone of them… this may be his next best option to try to get to where he’s going.”
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