Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has his doubts when it comes to Jorge Masvidal entering the Octagon again.
Masvidal — who failed in his two welterweight title bids opposite Kamaru Usman — called time on his mixed martial arts career at UFC 287 in Miami early last year.
The event saw “Gamebred” comfortably outpointed by Gilbert Burns, adding to his previous losses to Colby Covington and Usman to mark his fourth straight setback inside the cage.
But both during the lead-up to that bout — which he lost on the scorecards — and since, Masvidal has repeatedly expressed interest in a UFC comeback. He’s even set his sights on an opponent, calling to settle his unfinished business with Leon Edwards.
But when it comes to the UFC’s alleged interest in granting the return, Sonnen isn’t buying it…
Sonnen: Masvidal Too Old For Another UFC Stint
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen discussed Masvidal’s comeback talk and his decision to place Edwards in his sights.
While “The American Gangster” suggested that the matchup itself makes more sense now than it did at the time of Masvidal’s retirement, he ultimately can’t envision the UFC being interested in the soon-to-be 40-year-old extending his Octagon career.
“The last time I checked on Masvidal, he was 39,” Sonnen said. “Masvidal has looked very thirsty as of late. … I don’t care how thirsty a guy is or what he looks like in that regard, if he’s calling out guys like Leon, that guy is a badass, and that is what Jorge Masvidal is. Now that fight wouldn’t make a lot of sense. That fight isn’t taking it anywhere. It’s not taking it to a title fight. For those reasons, the fight makes more sense. That’s the whole reason we couldn’t do it before; one was a champion but the other wasn’t a top contender.
“I don’t predict for you that they’re going to make that fight. In fact, quite the opposite. I don’t predict for you anybody at the age of 40 is going to get signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, including if it’s a re-signing,” Sonnen continued. “That’s what I think, but there’s not an actual rule that says otherwise.”
Regardless of Sonnen’s view, Masvidal is evidently confident of making the walk again down the line.
By the looks of things, he’s been hard at work at the American Top Team facility in Coconut Creek, Florida, training with the likes of former Bellator champion and current free agent Yaroslav Amosov.
Former UFC star Jorge Masvidal doesn’t appear keen to bury the hatchet with welterweight contender Leon Edwards anytime soon.
Significant animosity has existed between Masvidal, a former two-time UFC title challenger, and Edwards, who was unseated from the throne just this past July, ever since a London-held UFC Fight Night in 2019.
Both men emerged victorious that night, with “Rocky” defeating Gunnar Nelson and “Gamebred” knocking out Darren Till in the main event. But the real talking point came in the aftermath backstage, where Masvidal and Edwards exchanged words before the former struck the Brit with a quick combination.
The Miami native later dubbed the strikes a “three piece and a soda.” But despite Edwards long vowing to get his revenge in the cage, they’re still yet to collide for a second time. That’s even despite and official booking in late 2021, which fell away after Masvidal pulled out due to a rib injury. And “Gamebred’s” subsequent retirement last year appeared to take away any chance of their feud reaching the Octagon.
Now, however, the 39-year-old has his sights set on a return. But while that could perhaps reignite talk of a long-awaited clash with Edwards, Masvidal expects the former champ to avoid him.
Masvidal Pitches Date For Edwards Fight, Suggests He ‘Don’t Want This’
During an interview with MMA Fighting, Masvidal reiterated his plans to bring his short-lived MMA retirement to an end,
In terms of the ambitions he still holds inside the Octagon, “Gamebred” would like to settle his unfinished business with Edwards, even pitching UFC 310 in Las Vegas on December 7 as a possible fight date.
“I know he wouldn’t fight me,” Masvidal said (h/t Damon Martin). “He got offered and turned it down. He don’t want this. I tried [to fight him]. Leon Edwards don’t want this. He had other options, he went for other things except fight me, basically. I’ll tell you that much.
“I’ll tell you right now, Leon, I will whoop your f*cking ass,” Masvidal continued. “Let’s f*cking go. I don’t know, maybe Dec. 7 in Vegas, maybe next year at the Super Bowl. I don’t know but I’ll beat the f*ck out of your little skinny ass.”
It remains to be seen if and when Masvidal will make his UFC comeback — and who could be chosen to welcome “Gamebred” back to the Octagon.
But the Miami native is seemingly preparing hard for it at the American Top Team facility. He recently got some work in with former Bellator champ Yaroslav Amosov, who has entered free agency and is rumored to be on his way to the UFC himself.
The fight card will be headlined by UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who will make his second title defense against Merab Dvalishvili. Meanwhile, the co-main event will showcase the third, and likely final, meeting between UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. Alongside these high-profile bouts, the rest of the lineup is filled with fighters of Mexican descent.
It's the fight week we've all been waiting for! 🌞#UFC306 LIVE from @SphereVegas
According to White, the UFC has funneled more than $20 million into the event, with a vision of transforming it into an extraordinary extravaganza by utilizing the Sphere’s 16K wraparound LED screens and immersive auditory experience. The MMA promotion plans to showcase six 90-second vignettes between fights, weaving together a cinematic narrative that celebrates the significant role of Mexicans in combat sports. To further elevate the spectacle, each fight will unfold in what the UFC top brass refers to as “different worlds,” projected across the dome-shaped screen.
Masvidal believes that Noche UFC 306 will deliver a groundbreaking experience, elevated by an electrifying lineup of fights set to captivate the fans…
Masvidal Believes Noche UFC 306 Will Propel Rising Fighters Toward Title Contention
During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, “Gamebred” radiated excitement for Noche UFC 306 and the unparalleled venue experience the event is set to deliver with its top-tier production quality.
The former BMF champion highlighted the Mexican-heavy fight card, confident it will serve as a launchpad for several rising stars to emerge as future title contenders.
“I don’t know if it’ll [the venue] impact the way they fight so much,” Masvidal said. “It’s going to be an experience, though, because I’ve been in there [the Sphere] for a 3D show, and it was amazing. It was mind-blowing—the graphics, the stuff—but obviously, they’re not doing that now. But I still think they’ll play a lot of the graphics on their projectors and stuff, so it’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I really wish I could have made it to this event. The card is stacked from top to bottom with a lot of up-and-coming talent. It’s going to be f**king amazing, maybe even some future world champions on this card right here. So I think it’s a great, great card, man.”
Masvidal eagerly voiced his anticipation for the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili showdown, noting that both fighters are perfectly balanced, thanks to their diverse and well-rounded skill sets.
“The main event is one that I’ll be watching closely, brother. I’ll be watching the main event 100%. I’m a big fan of both of them. I love Merab’s style—just coming forward, does not give a f**k, does not know how to get tired. This guy just has an unbelievable gas tank, is pretty good at wrestling, and now he’s mixing it up better, where he’s throwing punches and getting right to it. But Sean is a sniper—one shot, one kill type of guy. Great athlete with great distance, great timing, and the longer arms, so it’s going to be a battle. I think whoever can keep it more real is obviously going to win, but it’s going to be a battle no matter what. I think it’s going to end up being a really good fight, or maybe I can see Sean maybe catching him early too—you never know.”
“There are things that we can see that we can capitalize on and obviously, it’d be a fool to think that they don’t think or his coach Tim Welch wouldn’t think, ‘Oh hey, we’re going out there to just dive in on his legs.’ Of course they know that so we’re not going to do that. We’re not going to make it, ‘Oh hey, here I am,’ boom, run into something. That’s just stupid.”
The interviewer, Marcos Antelo, then made reference to Jorge Masvidal’s record-breaking knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239.
“Gamebred” secured the fastest finish in UFC history back in 2019 after he correctly predicted that Askren would dip his head for a takedown if Masvidal ran at him, lining him up perfectly for a flying knee.
Wood doubled down on the idea that they won’t be rushing anything on Saturday night at the Sphere, and are preparing for a complete mixed martial arts contest.
“Yeah that’s just ridiculous, there’s no way that’s happening. There’s no way we’re getting KO’d in that kind of situation. There’s no way like, are we gonna get hit? Sure. Is Sean gonna get taken down? Yes. It it gonna be a fight? Absolutely.”
After his loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 last year, Jorge Masvidal appeared to take his curtain call in MMA, retiring from competition after a lengthy career that featured a sudden rise to superstardom in 2019.
But it now seems that Masvidal truly isn’t done with the sport.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Masvidal revealed that he is planning to return to the UFC, reiterating plans that he made during the time of his boxing match with Nate Diaz a couple of months ago.
Masvidal dropped a decision to Diaz in that fight, which left a bad taste in his mouth. He added that he couldn’t stay away from the fight game, and he couldn’t get ready for more training and fights without venturing back into MMA.
“I definitely did (retire) from sports and all martial arts,” Masvidal said. “I retired for about…45 to 60 days. And then it just hit me. I was like, I’m not retired. I can’t. I started training, I started doing something, and this boxing opportunity fell in my lap; great opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up.
“But even when I was doing boxing, even though I loved it, it just doesn’t compare to MMA. I just couldn’t picture myself getting ready for more fights and not being in MMA.”
Jorge Masvidal Plans UFC Return, Wants To Face Leon Edwards
Masvidal informed the UFC of his intention to return last month. He does not need a new contract, as he retired with two fights remaining on his UFC deal at the time of his retirement.
Since Masvidal did a formal retirement, however, he will need to enter the UFC’s anti-doping program for a minimum of six months before making an official return to the Octagon. Those rights can be waived by the promotion if they deem necessary.
There is one name on Masvidal’s mind for a return fight: Leon Edwards. The two have had bad blood spanning back to UFC Fight Night London in 2019, an event headlined by Masvidal knocking out Darren Till and Edwards defeating Gunnar Nelson.
“Gamebred” and “Rocky,” live in an ESPN interview, got into an altercation that saw Masvidal land his infamous “three piece and a soda” on Edwards.
“Give me f*cking Leon Edwards, bro,” Masvidal said. “Is he an up-and-coming guy? What would you call him? A veteran? Ex-champion? Whatever you call that mother******, give me that. Let’s go. We’ve got a built-in history. (The UFC) has got the whole promo.
“He’s 0-1 against me. Let’s go. Let’s do the fight at the end of the year, next year. That’s it. Let’s get it done. And then, after I knock his ass out, guess what? They’ve got to give me the title shot.”
But Masvidal admitted the UFC isn’t so sure of the idea.
“Of course, I did (asked to fight Edwards in his return). Man, the first thing I told his (Hunter Campbell’s) a**. Yeah, they shut it down,” Masvidal said. “Said they won’t do that. Okay, we’ll see who’s next.
“I heard he doesn’t want to fight,” Masvidal continued. “Who knows [why]? Maybe because I beat the f*** out of that guy, almost knocked him out.”
Masvidal said he would only fight an up-and-comer if he feels it’s the right kind of fighter.
Jorge Masvidal became one of the biggest stars in the UFC in 2019. He started the year by knocking out top prospect Darren Till and then delivered one of the fastest KOs in UFC history against Ben Askren.
Masvidal was then offered to fight for the BMF title against Nate Diaz, which he won via doctor’s stoppage. So, just three fights turned the journeyman into a huge draw, helping him get two simultaneous title shots against Kamaru Usman as well.
Masvidal has been retired from MMA for over a year now, but he’s teased a definite return to the UFC. Daniel Cormier has already raised concerns regarding the potential of this comeback…
Daniel Cormier Doubts Fans Care About Jorge Masvidal Coming Back To The UFC For Michael Chandler Fight After ‘Fairytale Retirement’
Cormier recently discussed Masvidal’s decision to fight in the UFC again on his official YouTube channel. Right away, he remembered “Gamebred” retiring after the Gilbert Burns fight and called it one of the best retirements ever for a UFC fighter.
Masvidal was in an arena filled with fans from his hometown and his promotion Gamebread Bareknuckle MMA was also rising simultaneously. According to the former UFC heavyweight champion, being surrounded by supporters during your last fight while also having a new venture to focus on right away is the best way to walk out of the sport.
“So, last year in Miami, We watched Jorge Masvidal fight against Gilbert Burns. He loses by decision. He has, what is honestly guys, one of the greatest retirements you could ever ask for in this sport. You’re in a full arena, you’re in your hometown, you just lost to guy that is still competing at the top of the division. Walk away, you’re walking into Gamebred boxing, fighting, bare knuckle MMA, it’s called something like that. But, you’re walking into your own organization where you get to be the boss. You just had a fairytale retirement.”
DC pointed out that there is no shame in losing your last MMA fight to a top contender like Burns. However, all these narratives could change if Masvidal returns to the Octagon. Also, do fans still care about him now that the welterweight division is stacked with new contenders like Ian Garry, Jack Della Maddalena, and Shavkat Rakhmonov?
“Is star power enough? Because I can tell you this right now, if Nate Diaz was to say I’m coming back, people would get excited. Is Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal held in the same regard? I just don’t know where it’s coming from.”
Cormier also appreciated Gamebread Bareknuckle MMA as the promotion has been able to sign big names and generate new talent. As a result, he’s more excited to see Masvidal grow his business instead of fighting at 39 years old in the UFC.
“He’s 39 years old now, right? Best days would seem to be behind him. He’s lost four in a row. Can he recreate what he did before? And if he can, do we even care to jump on the ride? You guys let me know in those comments. In my regard, I believe with the work that he was doing outside of the Octagon, his promotion, seems to be doing well. I’m happy with seeing that man walk away.”
Dustin Poirier has had an illustrious UFC career despite never winning an undisputed championship. He’s fought for the title three times, but came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. He did become the interim UFC lightweight kingpin by beating Max Holloway, though.
Colby Covington has had a similar run in the UFC welterweight division. He won the interim title by beating Rafael dos Anjos but is 0-3 in undisputed title fights against the likes of Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.
Although both Covington and Poirier have still been adamant about fighting for titles, rumors suggest that they might meet in the Octagon soon. Here’s why Michael Bisping and award-winning broadcaster Adam Catterall are big fans of the matchup…
Michael Bisping Excited To See Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington As The UFC 309 Co-Main Event Under Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Bisping and Catterall discussed the potential matchup between Poirier and Covington on the Michael Bisping Podcast YouTube channel recently. As soon as ‘The Count’ brought up the rumors, Catterall couldn’t hide his excitement.
“He’s [Colby Covington] got his opportunities. He’s not getting that opportunity again, anytime soon. He needs something big. He needs something juicy. He needs something to get himself up for it. Dustin Poirier is that name. A legend of the game. A guy that has been there, done it, got the T-shirt. You’ve just mentioned beef. Bit of bad blood. Dustin Poirier’s mates with Jorge Masvidal, he needs to get that one back for his pal, don’t he?”
The radio and TV presenter also highlighted that “The Diamond” is friends with Jorge Masvidal. The latter fought Covington in March 2022 after their long-time friendship turned bitter. Masvidal and “Chaos” have even had physical altercations outside the UFC, and their rivalry is as personal as it gets.
So, fighting Covington is a great way for Poirier to avenge Masvidal’s loss. He’s admitted to not liking the former interim UFC welterweight champion as well, and Bisping is very excited to see this beef getting settled inside the Octagon.
It’s unlikely for both Poirier and Covington to get title shots in their divisions now. However, as two of the biggest stars in the UFC, their fight can easily generate all the hype in the world. Bisping credited Covington for being an excellent promoter who can easily capitalize on the real resentment with his opponent this time around.
“Listen, Colby, say what you want about him. The man’s a promotion machine. With all like the personal stuff that they can go to, They would blow that fight up, like crazy. I’d want to see it.”
If the rumors are true, Poirier vs. Covington will be scheduled for UFC 309, the card expected to feature Jones vs. Miocic as the main event. It is safe to assume that tons of fans will tune in to watch the fight regardless of when it happens, though.
Conor McGregor has been back in the headlines this week as he hosted his first press conference as part-owner of BKFC ahead of the company’s scheduled event in Marbella, Spain later this year.
The former UFC two-weight world champion was scheduled to fight in the Octagon for the first time in three years at UFC 303 recently, but a foot injury put paid to those plans. Speaking at the BKFC press conference, the Irishman revealed that he only has two fights left on his current contract with the UFC and said that he has ambitions to test the waters inside the bareknuckle ring once those commitments are fulfilled.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five intriguing options we would love to see “The Notorious” face in BKFC.
Nate Diaz
The rivalry between McGregor and Diaz has simply refused to go away ever since the pair first met inside the Octagon at UFC 196 back in 2016. Diaz took the fight on short notice as a replacement for McGregor’s original opponent Rafael Dos Anjos and shocked the world by handing the then-featherweight champion his first defeat in the UFC.
https://youtu.be/G3ZsRG5gcNY?si=vAOP6EX4-yil60Ug
McGregor won an immediate rematch via majority decision just five months later and it seemed it would only be a matter of time before the pair would square off again. The rubber match never came, however, and Diaz fought out his UFC contract, finishing up with a submission victory over Tony Ferguson in September of 2022.
Although he failed to enter the title picture during his career inside the Octagon, Perry is now regarded as one of the biggest draws in combat sports outside the UFC.
Jorge Masvidal
“Gamebred” was a mainstay in the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight divisions between 2013-2023. He twice fought for the 170lb title against Kamaru Usman but was unsuccessful both times. After leaving the UFC (and temporarily retiring) in 2023 he recently made his first foray into the world of boxing when he faced Nate Diaz.
McGregor invited the former IBF and WBA welterweight boxing champion into his camp as a sparring partner in the lead up to his infamous boxing match against Floyd “Money” Mayweather back in 2017. After sharing multiple clips of McGregor knocking down Malignaggi during the workouts all over social media, tensions between the pair spiralled and rumors circulated that they would meet in a boxing match further down the line.
Malignaggi has carved out a career as a boxing commentator and analyst and has worked on BKFC events since his retirement from fighting. At 42-years-old, could we see him tempted into one more fight with his old rival?
After Nurmagomedov conclusively beat “The Notorious” at UFC 229 back in 2018 to claim the UFC lightweight championship, the Irishman campaigned tirelessly for a rematch. His disappointment at Khabib announcing his retirement just two years later was captured on camera during the filming of his documentary McGregor Forever, and the Dubliner has never missed an opportunity to berate Nurmagomedov when given the chance in the years that have passed.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 17, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Meltzer claims that Diaz vs. Masvidal did ‘horrible on PPV’
Paul & Perry trade words before July 20
City Kickboxing’s Jousset gets a big home fight in Paris
Report States That Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal’s Boxing Match Massively Underperformed On PPV
On a relatively quiet week for combat sports, former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal met inside a boxing ring.
But a recent report suggests that despite the event being heavily spoken about, fans were not willing to pay the pay-per-view price to watch it live.
Dave Meltzer stated on a recent episode of Observer Radio that the event did not perform well, comparing it to wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action (TNA), which has always had a tough time competing against the WWE before the two companies started working together as of late.
“It did horrible on PPV, it did TNA numbers. I’m not exaggerating. I knew it would not do well, but I was absolutely stunned how poorly it did. Nobody bought the fight. People are sick of seeing MMA fighters do boxing.”
Meltzer on Observer Radio, regarding Diaz-Masvidal fight – “It did horrible on PPV, it did TNA numbers. I’m not exaggerating. I knew it would not do well, but I was absolutely stunned how poorly it did. Nobody bought the fight. People are sick of seeing MMA fighters do #BOXING”
Before they can meet on July 20 in a change of opponent for Paul, who was scheduled to be taking on Mike Tyson on this date, the two men came face to face.
As you can expect from two bold characters, there were some certainly unique moments during their conversation. That included, at one point, both men seemingly doing “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan impressions.
The highlight of the entire video was certainly the following quote from Perry, who has always had an unparalleled way with words…
“Your little baby green punches can’t even f****** reach my brain stem bro. I’m gonna dig through your eyeball and find your memories.”
Paul responded in the same way that pretty much everybody else would when being told that by the “King of Violence.”
“Please don’t do that. Please don’t do that Mikey.”
Mike Perry to Jake Paul: "I’m gonna dig through your eyeball and find your memories" pic.twitter.com/hEn7yKqqh8
Kevin Jousset Books Home Fight In Paris Against Former TUF Winner
Rising UFC welterweight and City Kickboxing fighter Kevin Jousset has got his next assignment, and it’s sure to be a bucket list one for him.
The French fighter will finally be getting the opportunity to compete in front of his home fans when he makes the walk on September 28 in Paris.
MMA Junkie’s Nolan King reported that Jousset is set to make his third Octagon appearance against The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner Bryan Battle.
Having competed in Australia and Las Vegas since signing to the promotion, it’s time for “Air” to get the home fighter treatment following his impressive winning streak.
Just over a week on from the boxing fight on Fanmio between Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal, the victorious Stockton star has sued the company and its owner over claims he’s yet to be paid 90 percent of the agreed purse.
Over four years on from their highly anticipated showdown inside the Octagon at UFC 244, Diaz and Masvidal ran it back in a different environment on July 6.
While Madison Square Garden played host to “Gamebred’s” victory in MMA, a packed-out crown inside Anaheim’s Honda Center witnessed the pair run it back in the boxing ring last Saturday.
Diaz successfully exacted his revenge, outpointing Masvidal across a competitive and entertaining 10 rounds of action. But his celebrations have evidently been cut short by a financial dispute with Fanmio.
TMZ reported this week that Diaz is suing promoter Solomon Engel and his company over a substantial amount of agreed pay allegedly being withheld. The former UFC fighter’s attorney, Jeremiah Reynolds, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Miami on Monday.
That was quick. Nate Diaz is suing Fanmio inc, the promoter of Diaz vs Masvidal, for $9m which he claims guaranteed to him both in writing and orally ($1m in advance which was paid and $9m after the fight) and which he alleges the Defendants has since reneged on paying him. pic.twitter.com/gBiGId2XOS
Promoter Accused Of Using Possible Divorce As Reason Not To Pay Diaz
In the suit, Diaz claims to have been promised a $10 million purse for the boxing match, both verbally and in writing. While the $1 million upfront was paid, the Stockton star and his team claim Engel is refusing to pay the post-fight sum of $9 million.
Engel is said to have not paid up after not profiting off the Diaz vs. Masvidal fight in the way he had expected.
It’s also alleged that the head of Fanmio told Diaz he couldn’t pass over the remaining $9 million in agreed pay due to fears his wife would divorce him due to the financial loss.
As a result, Diaz is suing for fraud and breach of contract, noting in the lawsuit that he wouldn’t have followed through with the match had he known the agreed $10 million purse wouldn’t be paid.
Ariel Helwani recently floated the idea of online personality KSI (real name Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji) as the next potential opponent for Jorge Masvidal following his defeat to Nate Diaz in their boxing match.
This past Saturday, Masvidal came up short on the judges’ scorecards in a rematch of their Octagon clash from UFC 244 in November 2019. This time, the bout took place in a professional boxing ring, headlining a pay-per-view event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
After a showdown marked by intense, back-and-forth action, two of the three judges awarded the victory to Diaz with scores of 98-92 and 97-93. The third judge, however, saw it as a dead heat, scoring the fight a 95-95 draw.
Following the loss, the former BMF titleholder contended that he had done enough to secure the victory and claimed that the judges were prejudiced against him. Although Masvidal immediately called for a rematch, Diaz promptly dismissed this request during the post-event press conference.
“Gamebred” has previously mentioned that he has a three-fight contract with Fanmio, granting him the opportunity to pursue high-profile boxing matches. Considering Masvidal’s recent passion for the sweet science, it seems highly probable that he will seek a swift return to the squared circle.
While Helwani may not be an official matchmaker, he has an intriguing contender in mind for Masvidal’s comeback fight…
Helwani Sees KSI As Prime Matchup For Masvidal’s Next Boxing Bout
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani explored potential opponents for Jorge Masvidal’s next boxing match, ultimately suggesting the possibility of pitting YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI against the former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger.
The Canadian combat sports journalist suggested that a fight with Masvidal would be significantly more intriguing than the scheduled 1 vs. 2 matchup against Slim Albaher and MMA veteran Anthony Taylor.
“I’ll tell you what, with all due respect, I would much rather see Jorge against KSI than KSI in this, you know, whatever, [1 vs.2],” Helwani said. “Actually, Jorge versus KSI is really interesting to me.”
Helwani further noted that the bittersweet past between Masvidal and KSI makes this matchup a more logical and compelling choice for both fighters.
“Remember, that was a thing that kind of happened a year and a half ago on the show, where they suggested it and they were kind of looking into it. I’m pretty sure KSI is on the okay list; you know, like, there’s this list that the UFC gave Jorge that he’s allowed to take fights with X, Y, and Z.”
Last July, in a conversation with Masvidal, Helwani broached the notion of arranging a boxing match with KSI. However, the 39-year-old Miami native swiftly dismissed any interest in squaring off against the British social media influencer.
The organization has granted him special permission to pursue boxing opportunities, and Masvidal has hinted at an inevitable return to the Octagon in the future.
This past weekend was a big one for former UFC stars making their way into the boxing world as Saturday night’s major contest saw Nate Diaz take on Jorge Masvidal inside the ring.
Whilst he took this fight just to try and stay active after his bout on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fell off, Till hopes to mix it up with the big names in this scene in the near future.
With both Masvidal and Diaz being potential opponents for him inside the ring, he was sure to have a keen eye on their rematch that went down in California…
Darren Till Not Impressed By What He Saw From Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal
The general consensus seemed to be that the boxing clash between Masvidal and Diaz ended up being a better watch that some may have expected.
Till didn’t see the fight that way, however, as he outlined during his appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
“The Gorilla” wasn’t particularly impressed by what he saw from either man but didn’t want to discredit them too much due to the respect he has for them both.
“I wasn’t impressed mate. Just like, fluffy hands, just not a lot of power, both looked like they wasn’t in no fit physical shape. But as I say, Masvidal, I fought and he beat me fair and square. Diaz, I don’t ever like to diss Diaz too much, I’ve always been a fan since a kid. I think he’s a f****** G of the sport, he’s one of your real ones. Whether you want it in the ring or outside, he’s that guy and that’s what I respect.”
Till, meanwhile, emerged victorious in bizarre fashion after his opponent claimed to be unable to continue following a shot to the back of the head.
After a brawl between the pair was split up, the Liverpool native was awarded the victory by way of TKO, marking his first combat sports win since 2019.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 9, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Masvidal put on twice as many pounds as Diaz after making weight
Fans aren’t buying Walker’s dinosaur theory
Vakhitov says Pereira is defensively vulnerable
Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Fight Day Weigh-Ins Show Drastic Difference
With the California State Athletic Commission looking to cut down on excessive weight cutting in combat sports, the fight nights weights for the recent Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing match were released.
The most noteworthy result shows that Jorge Masvidal made a staggering near 30-pound gain between weighing in and showing up on fight night.
After hitting 175.2 pounds on Friday, he then weighed in at 204.1 pounds, which is a 16 percent increase in body weight.
Masvidal competed at both 155 and 170 pounds during his tenure in the UFC. By the time he stepped inside the ring this past weekend, he was closer to the light heavyweight mark.
Johnny Walker Receives Pushback After Posting Dinosaur Extinction Theory
It’s an understatement to call Brazil’s Johnny Walker one of the most unpredictable characters in MMA today.
He recently gathered some attention on social media after he responded to an Instagram post from MMA great Georges St-Pierre.
“GSP” shared a video about the dinosaurs and how they were made extinct and largely wiped off the face of the earth by an asteroid.
Walker, in the replies to the post, provided his own theory about how it wasn’t an asteroid that killed them off, but perhaps humans did it instead…
“Sorry champ but i am not sure about it anymore! I don’t believe that a asteroid ☄️ extinguished the dinosaurs 🦖 , it may be the men , take a look at some saints around the world like the flat of Russia that have a dragon and a guy that probably kill lots of it , and Brasil also have a saint , and lots of other cultures have history about some hero that killed a dragon = Dino 🦖! I’m just saying, history always change and the winner of some war tells his side of the truth ! We never know the actually real truth”
It didn’t take too long before fans took notice of his comment and gave their sceptical reactions to his take.
The Last Man To Defeat Alex Pereira In Kickboxing Breaks Down His Weaknesses As A Striker
Alex Pereira has been on an incredible upwards trajectory since making the switch to MMA, but what some fight fans might not know is that he suffered a defeat in his final kickboxing fight.
After losing a split decision the first time around, Artem Vakhitov got the better of “Poatan” in the rematch before Pereira made the decision to leave Glory behind to really pursue MMA.
Vakhitov, who has also been trying his hand at MMA as of late, spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about where he believes Pereira is vulnerable, having been one of the few to outstrike him.
He said that the UFC light heavyweight champion’s greatest strength is also his greatest weakness,but the issue many of his MMA opponents have is that they’re not confident enough to try and exploit it.
“His biggest weakness is that he is all attack, he has no defense,” Vakhitov said. “Because of his lack of defense, he is open to taking a lot of punches to the head if he’s facing a skilled striker. You saw that in his second fight with Adesanya. He got caught because he leaves a lot of openings for people who know what they are doing.
“These other guys haven’t done well against Alex because their striking isn’t at a high enough level. They aren’t confident against him and they think he’s unbeatable, so in their heart they are already defeated before the fight starts,” Vakhitov continued. “But I have beaten him before in pure striking competition, and I am sure I’ll do it again if we can get our trilogy match in the UFC.”
Jorge Masvidal appeared to out-land Nate Diaz in the statistics at the conclusion of their boxing match on July 6, but it was not enough to get the win. And “Gamebred” feels the hometown advantage his opponent had played a role in that.
Diaz scored the win over Masvidal by majority decision in the main event of a card that took place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
The fight proved to be an exciting one that seemingly could have gone either way. The Stockton native had a notable volume-based attack and took over the fight as the former UFC BMF champion’s energy decreased during the middle portion of the fight. In the eyes of many, Masvidal landed the cleaner, more effective, and damaging strikes.
But one judge scored the bout an even 95-95, while the other two scored the fight 97-93 and 98-92 in favor of Diaz.
“I definitely know the judges were influenced by the crowd because a lot of those shots were landing in the corner,” Masvidal said at the post-fight press conference. “I was just getting my timing. He’d throw three or four shots that wouldn’t land, and then I’d throw a good power shot. I’d see that I’d hurt him and I’d back him up or he would start goofing around. (I) hurt him to the body numerous times.”
Jorge Masvidal Feels Nate Diaz’s Hometown Advantage Led To Lopsided Scorecards Against Him
Masvidal felt he landed the better strikes in the fight, noting the number of times that he seemed to hurt Diaz. However, “Gamebred” claimed the roars of the crowd whenever his rival landed a shot proved to be his downfall and led to two judges scoring the contest in lopsided fashion for Diaz.
Masvidal feels that if a potential trilogy bout is to go down, then that fight needs to take place in a location where neither man will be a hometown hero.
“I think one or two of the judges only gave me two rounds. There’s just no way,” Masvidal insisted. “We were looking at the fight right now in the locker room, the meaningful shots, and a lot more of the meaningful shots were landed by me. I just feel that it didn’t go my way, but whatever. We’re 1-1, we can run it back some place like Vegas. Make it a neutral place and let’s f*cking throw down.
“From what I saw, I definitely hurt him more than he ever hurt me. I got way cleaner shots, especially to the body. He never even did anything to my body. I definitely hurt his body, and a couple times that I hurt him, he backed up,” Masvidal continued. “He put a lot of pressure and he was coming forward but he never hurt me. I don’t think he landed any meaningful punches. Eight rounds to two is f*cking nuts. Whatever, it’s California. I knew I had to get a knockout or some sh*t like this (would happen).”
Masvidal expressed a desire for a third fight in the ring, too, prior to the press conference. The pair exchanged heated words during that time, needing to be separated.
“Gamebred” previously scored the win in their first outing in the UFC five years ago, defeating Diaz via third-round doctor’s stoppage in the main event of UFC 244 to win the inaugural BMF championship.
Now that Nate Diaz has avenged his previous loss to Jorge Masvidal, he has other names in mind that he’d like to get wins back on.
Diaz scored a majority decision win over Masvidal in the main event of a boxing card at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, on July 6. This served as a rematch — albeit in another sport — five years from their first encounter at UFC 244. Masvidal won the initial fight by doctor’s stoppage, making him the first-ever BMF champion of the UFC.
Diaz scored the win in the closely contested boxing match with a volume-based attack, despite Masvidal landing the harder and arguably cleaner strikes.
Following the fight, despite Masvidal’s wishes for a trilogy bout and an exchanging of words, Diaz expressed a desire to get back in the ring with Jake Paul and to return to the UFC to face current welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
Nate Diaz Calls Out Jake Paul & Leon Edwards After Avenging Jorge Masvidal Defeat
Diaz doubled down on these thoughts at the post-fight press conference.
“Just off the top of my head, I would like to whip (Paul’s) ass,” Diaz said. “I would like to get a win against Leon Edwards, who’s the best fighter in the world right now at 170 (pounds). I think that’s something major who actually brings something that I can take and put in a credential box. That’s what I’m going for. I’m not playing for no f*cking fun fights, because that sh*t ain’t fun.”
Diaz made his professional boxing debut against Paul last year. “The Problem Child” dealt some big damage to Diaz in the opening rounds before going on to win a decision.
Paul called Diaz out on social media after the fight, claiming that the Stockton native has been ducking him despite the callout. As he noted on X/Twitter this weekend, Paul has previously offered Diaz upwards of $15 million for a rematch in the PFL MMA cage, not in the boxing ring.
Fuck you Nate Diaz you’re a hoe who ducked my PFL $15m MMA offer
After losing to him in the UFC in 2019, Nate Diaz has scored revenge in the boxing ring, defeating Jorge Masvidal via majority decision in the main event of a card on July 6 in Anaheim, California.
Diaz and Masvidal both brought it from the opening bell. Diaz set the pace early, but Masvidal fired off solid shots of his own. Masvidal seemingly took control then, continuing to land the more effective and powerful blows. Masvidal continued this into the fourth round, but Diaz started to bring out the volume.
Masvidal worked the body, but Diaz seemed to have more energy as the fight got to the halfway mark. That volume helped him bring forward pressure to Masvidal in the sixth round.
The themes continued into the final few rounds, with Diaz landing noteworthy shots, but Masvidal landing the cleaner and more powerful punches, proving it to be anyone’s battle.
Ultimately, it was Diaz who came out on top, winning on 97-93 and a 98-92 scorecards. The third scorecard was a 95-95 draw.
Fight Fans React To Close, Controversial Decision Win For Nate Diaz Over Jorge Masvidal In Boxing Ring
Diaz went on to call out Jake Paul and Leon Edwards after the fight, looking for revenge against Paul in his next outing before intending to return to the UFC and challenge the welterweight champion.
Masvidal, meanwhile, will look for a trilogy bout with Diaz. His post-fight comments saw some tense words exchanged between the pair.
Diaz and Masvidal first met five years ago in the UFC at UFC 244. At New York’s Madison Square Garden, Masvidal scored a controversial third-round doctor’s stoppage win over Diaz to become the first ‘BMF’ champion. Masvidal then lost his next four fights, retiring in 2023 following a loss to Gilbert Burns.
Masvidal’s sole professional boxing match prior to tonight came in 2005, defeating Joseph Benjamin via majority decision.
Diaz fought twice more in UFC after the loss, dropping a decision to Leon Edwards and scoring a submission of Tony Ferguson. Diaz made his professional boxing debut last year, losing to Paul.
Professional wrestling fans know the story of the infamous WCW Halloween Havoc pay-per-view in 1998. After a disasterous Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior match, the WCW world title battle between Goldberg and Diamond Dallas Page proved to be a classic — but people didn’t get to see it because the pay-per-view broadcast ran overtime.
You would think in a world where we have streaming platforms aplenty and are used to the nature (for better or for worse) of combat sports pay-per-view pacing, we wouldn’t have such a mistake again. Unfortunately, we somehow did with Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal.
After a grueling co-main event battle between Shane Mosley Jr. and Daniel Jacobs, and an undercard criticized for its pacing, the main event battle between Diaz and Masvidal kicked off at 1:18 am ET. But just as the fireworks in the ring were ready to start, those who were watching on the Fanmio pay-per-view service saw their feeds shockingly crash.
Ultimately, the Fanmio broadcast never went back up. And from the moment the broadcast went down, the combat community on social media went full scorched earth on the service.
Fight Fans Demand Refunds After Fanmio Broadcast Goes Down At Start Of Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal
Anyone else getting a streaming error and cant watch Diaz/Masdival? #fanmio#DiazMasvidal
— You Don’t Hate The Media Enough (@Mike99462045) July 7, 2024
As of publication time, Fanmio has yet to release a statement in response to the issues and fan outrage. It is unknown if refunds will be issued.
Diaz scored a majority decision win over Masvidal, edging Masvidal out in a battle of volume from Diaz vs. power from Masvidal.
Following the fight, Diaz announced intentions to get revenge on Jake Paul before returning to the UFC. Masvidal, meanwhile, hopes to have another battle in boxing, with the two trading words and needing to be separated.
Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal finally settled their differences in the boxing ring on July 6. MMA News has the results and highlights here!
The long-awaited rematch between Diaz and Masvidal occurred on July 6 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Both fighters have waited nearly five years to fight each other again after their first encounter at UFC 244 in 2019. However, instead of competing in MMA, they ran it back in the boxing ring.
In the fight, Diaz overwhelmed Masvidal with punches for ten rounds. The former BMF Champion did his best to keep his opponent off him with power punches but couldn’t stop the pressure from the California native. Ultimately, the fight went the distance, with Diaz winning by majority decision.
Elsewhere on the card, Anthony Pettis faced Chris Avila in a light heavyweight contest. Pettis was coming off a debut win over boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. by a majority decision last year. However, the former UFC champion couldn’t replicate his success, as Avila controlled the fight to earn a comfortable unanimous decision win.
Conor McGregor has made his opinion known on tonight’s boxing battle between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal.
As McGregor recovers from his toe injury that led to the postponement of his long-planned MMA return with Michael Chandler — and as we wait for a new date to be announced for such a fight — he has eyes turned toward a main event boxing showdown between two other names that have been UFC stars.
McGregor is very familiar with Diaz as a fighter, and it’s that experience that partly makes him predict that the Stockton native will come out on top in this fight at Anaheim’s Honda Center on Saturday.
In fact, McGregor took to social media to state that he has placed a major, $500,000 bet down on Diaz tonight.
Conor McGregor Places $500K Bet That Nate Diaz Defeats Jorge Masvidal In Boxing
I’ve decided to put $500,000 on Diaz to win tonight’s boxing match. Range, form, experience, solely hands being used, I can’t see Masvidal causing any problems to Nate in a boxing ring whatsoever. They are both little play around dipshits in a fight, play around bollox, but I…
“Range, form, experience, solely hands being used, I can’t see Masvidal causing any problems to Nate in a boxing ring whatsoever,” McGregor posted. They are both little play around dips**** in a fight, play around bollox, but I feel Nate does him in easy here for real.”
McGregor and Diaz fought in two legendary battles at UFC 196 and UFC 202. Fighting on just over a week’s notice, the American fan favorite submitted his Irish counterpart in upset fashion at UFC 196.
McGregor got his revenge in a closely contested encounter by a majority decision win at UFC 202, which at one point was the most bought pay-per-view in UFC history.
Meanwhile, Masvidal and the former two-division champion never fought in the Octagon, with UFC CEO Dana White at one point noting that McGregor would look small fighting “Gamebred” at 170 pounds.
Diaz and Masvidal faced off at UFC 244 in November 2019, with the Miami native winning via third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO to become the inaugural BMF champion.
Despite coming out on top in their UFC encounter five years ago, Jorge Masvidal is not one of the top-two earners of the boxing card that he and Nate Diaz will be headlining on July 6.
The California State Athletic Commission revealed the purse salaries on fight day, with MMA Fighting being the first to report them.
Diaz will have the most guaranteed money out of all participants on the night, walking away with a minimum of $500,000. Masvidal, meanwhile, will only make $300,000 guaranteed.
Masvidal actually has just the third-most guaranteed money out of everyone on the card. Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, who competes on the Diaz vs. Masvidal undercard, will earn $350,000 in guaranteed money.
Other notable figures from the card include Chris Avila making $210,000, Shane Mosley Jr. making $160,000, and Daniel Jacobs making $100,000. Jacobs, however, missed weight for his fight, so half of his purse will go to Mosley Jr., his opponent.
The full listed of guaranteed salaries is listed below.
Nate Diaz $500,000
Jorge Masvidal $300,000
Daniel Jacobs $100,000* (fined 20 percent of his purse)
Shane Mosley Jr. $160,000
Anthony Pettis $350,000
Chris Avila $210,000
Curmel Moton $40,000
Nikolai Buzolin $8,000* (fined 20 percent of his purse)
Amado Vargas $100,000
Sean Garcia $50,000* (fined 20 percent of his purse)
Devin Cushing $60,000
Manuel Correa $15,000
Luciano Ramos $5,000
Dan Hernandez $3,500
Alan Sanchez $55,000
Luis Lopes $22,500
Steve Dunn $500
Gabriel Costa $2,500
Jose Aguayo $40,000
Bryce Logan $6,000
Ken Lopez $18,000
Andres Martinez $600
As previously mentioned, these salaries are just guaranteed money and do not include earnings of pay-per-view sales that certain fighters may receive. They also do not include locker room bonuses, sponsorship earnings, and other means of revenue.
Diaz and Masvidal will meet in a 10-round light heavyweight bout in Saturday’s main event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
The two first met at UFC 244 in November 2019, with Masvidal winning via third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO to become the inaugural BMF champion.
Former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal weighed in today ahead of their rematch in the boxing ring this Saturday. MMA News has the results here!
The rivalry between Diaz and Masvidal has returned to the surface this year. In 2019, they faced each other in the main event of UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. UFC fans expected the matchup to be an action-packed fight, as both had an impressive win before the event. Unfortunately, it ended in anticlimactic fashion, with Masvidal winning by doctor’s stoppage.
Both fighters will seek a more decisive victory in the boxing ring tomorrow. Ahead of the event, all fighters weighed in today to make it official.
All fighters weighed in at the proper weight limit except for Daniel Jacobs, Nikolai Buzolin, and Sean Garcia. Their fights are expected to go on as planned.
Fans of Diaz are hoping he is coming into his rematch against “Gamebred” more motivated than he has in past fights. In his most recent outing last August, he made his professional boxing debut against Jake Paul. Diaz showed spurts of competitiveness but was outmatched and knocked down in the contest, which Paul won by unanimous decision.
This Saturday marks a big night for the California native as he tries to prove that he still has more left in his combat sports career.
For Masvidal, he is no stranger to competing in a boxing ring. He has one win on his pro boxing record after defeating Joseph Benjamin by majority decision in 2005. Although he has fared better in the sport than Diaz, the former BMF champion’s win from 19 years ago was a four-round fight. Saturday’s matchup will be a 10-round affair, which some fans believe could benefit Diaz more than the Miami native.
That said, Masvidal has shared in the lead-up to his showdown with his rival that he plans to get a knockout to settle their issues for good.
Masvidal vs. Diaz will occur at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card will start at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on Fanmio for $49.99. Fans looking to watch the card on DAZN must be subscribed and buy the pay-per-view.
Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal Weigh-In Results
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight: Nate Diaz (175.6lbs) vs. Jorge Masvidal (175.2lbs)
Super Middleweight: Daniel Jacobs (169.2lbs)* vs. Shane Mosley Jr. (167.6lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Anthony Pettis (175.3lbs) vs. Chris Avila (175.6lbs)
Lightweight: Curmel Moton (133.5lbs) vs. Nikolai Buzolin (137.7lbs)*
Lightweight: Amado Vargas (134.1lbs) vs. Sean Garcia (138.1lbs)*
Lightweight: Devin Cushing (131.9lbs) vs. Manuel Correa (131.2lbs)
* Sean Garcia missed the lightweight limit by 3.1 pounds.
* Nikolai Buzolin missed the lightweight limit by 2.7 pounds
* Daniel Jacobs missed the super middleweight limit by 1.2 pounds.
Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy believe that Nate Diaz could have the advantage over Jorge Masvidal in their upcoming boxing match, provided he maintains his aggressive pressure-fighting style.
The pair first clashed in the Octagon at UFC 244 in November 2019, where ‘Gamebred’ emerged victorious over Diaz with a TKO in the fourth round, securing the inaugural BMF title. Masvidal dominated the initial three rounds with relentless strikes, causing a deep gash above Diaz’s eyes and leaving his face bloodied.
Although both fighters were eager to continue, the Octagon-side doctor stopped the fight just after the third round due to the severity of Diaz’s injuries.
Diaz recently admitted to having minimal preparation before his fight with “The Problem Child.” However, according to Thomson and McCarthy, the former UFC lightweight title challenger has shown unwavering dedication this time around in preparation for his bout against Masvidal…
During a recent episode of their WEIGHING IN podcast, Thomson and McCarthy analyzed the boxing rematch between Diaz and Masvidal. “The Punk,” who previously secured a TKO victory over Diaz in the Octagon, emphasized that the Californian must deliver early damage to Masvidal with his trademark forward pressure, which could prove decisive in the fight.
“Nate Diaz is just being someone if once he gets the pressure going as he used to when he was younger,” Thomson said. “I think the reach is going to be a factor if he can like I said, get this thing going early… He’s gotta get started early if he wants to have a chance to win this fight.”
The veteran MMA referee concurred with Thomson’s analysis and shared an insider scoop about Diaz’s training camp. He revealed that he heard Diaz is in excellent shape and has performed well in sparring sessions. In contrast, “Gamebred” has had limited training sessions due to the demands of promoting the bout, which might affect his performance.
“I know Nate’s been training,” McCarthy said. “I’ve heard that Nate’s been actually looking good; his boxing is back to where it was at a certain point. I think it’s a pick’em fight.”
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren may still have a grudge towards his former rival Jorge Masvidal, but they agreed on a recent controversy.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has been at the center of an ongoing debate about whether or not transgender women should compete in female sports. Thomas recently became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship by winning the 500-yard-freestyle race.
Masvidal and Askren had a heated buildup before their main card fight at UFC 239. Masvidal went on to bash Askren with a flying knee knockout that is widely considered one of the most memorable moments in recent UFC history.
“If you think Biological males should compete in female division then you don’t understand sports!” Askren said in a recent tweet.
Thomas is planning on swimming in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics trials. While Thomas’ success is undeniable and unprecedented, many have debated whether or not it’s ethical and good for sports in general.
Askren left MMA following losses to Masvidal and Demian Maia in 2019. He also lost to Jake Paul in a boxing match in April of last year.
Masvidal is looking to get back on track after three straight losses in the Octagon. While Asken and he may never be cordial, it appears that they’re on the same page when it comes to the debate surrounding Thomas and trans athletes.
UFC star Nate Diaz and YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul have blasted Jorge Masvidal after his alleged attack on Colby Covington in Miami.
Masvidal allegedly confronted Covington outside of a restaurant in Miami on Monday night, hitting him with a couple of punches before the two sides were separated. Covington suffered a fractured tooth as a result of the assault and Masvidal could face a felony battery charge.
Masvidal and Covington fought in the UFC 272 headliner, with Covington earning a unanimous decision victory. Yet, the two former friends and teammates have continued the banter on social media in recent weeks.
After news broke of the alleged altercation, Diaz and Paul aimed at Masvidal for the alleged assault on Covington. First, Diaz referenced Masvidal’s self-published video apparently gloating about the attack.
Diaz fell to Masvidal for the self-coined BMF title at UFC 244. He most recently fought against Leon Edwards at UFC 263 and is allegedly eying a matchup with Dustin Poirier this year.
Paul also blasted Masvidal on social media for the alleged attack, just over a year since they worked out together briefly as Paul prepared to face Ben Askren in the boxing ring.
2 facts of the day:
#1 Masvidal is a bitch for ambushing Colby. Couldn’t hurt him in the cage so try to blindside him?
#2 UFC always says it’s increased fighter pay 600% since 2005. Per Huddle Up, UFC revenue is up 1,700% since 05 and PROFITS up by 6,200% 🤯 10x fighter pay!!!
“2 facts of the day: #1 Masvidal is a bitch for ambushing Colby. Couldn’t hurt him in the cage so try to blindside him?” Paul said.
“#2 UFC always says it’s increased fighter pay 600% since 2005. Per Huddle Up, UFC revenue is up 1,700% since 05 and PROFITS up by 6,200%. 10x fighter pay!!!”
Paul called out Masvidal for a boxing match following his most recent win in the ring over Tyron Woodley last December. He’s aiming at a return to boxing later this year.
Diaz and Paul aren’t the only ones to mock Masvidal after the incident. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman also took to social media and mocked both Masvidal and Covington for the brawl.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
What are your thoughts on the alleged Jorge Masvidal/Colby Covington incident?
Jorge Masvidal may face a felony battery charge stemming from his altercation with Colby Covington outside a Miami restaurant.
Covington was outside of the Papi Steak Restaurant in Miami, FL when Masvidal allegedly attacked him with a punch to the mouth another punch to the left eye. According to a recently-released police report obtained by MMA Fighting, Covington suffered a fractured tooth and suffered an abrasion on his left wrist as a result of the assault.
During the altercation, Covington told Miami police that he heard Masvidal say “You shouldn’t have been talking about my kids”. Covington has repeatedly accused Masvidal of being a “deadbeat dad” to his kids and has mocked Masvidal’s past relationship with the mother of their children.
The investigation into the altercation is ongoing and if Covington can prove that Masvidal assaulted him, Masvidal may face legal action.
No charges have been filed against Masvidal yet and he has not been arrested for his alleged actions against Covington.
Masvidal was involved in a similar incident with Leon Edwards back in early 2019. After verbal banter turned into a sudden attack backstage, Masvidal didn’t face charges for the infamous “three-piece and a soda” assault on Edwards.
MMA News will keep you updated on any further updates on this developing story.
