Jorge Masvidal is coming residence once more.
Following his retirement from MMA in 2023 and a latest boxing match in opposition to Nate Diaz, the primary ever “BMF” champion is able to resume his UFC profession. Masvidal instructed MMA Combating that talks already ongoing for his subsequent combat, and he’s focusing on a possible return in late 2024 or early 2025.
“I’ve been speaking to my boy Hunter [Campbell],” Masvidal instructed MMA Combating. “Discovering out, he’s like, ‘Let me verify this date, see if this dude desires the warmth, let me see if that man desires to get beat up.’ First, we’ll lock within the date. Lock in that date after which we’ll discover the physique.”
With greater than 50 skilled fights on his résumé and a profession courting again over 20 years, Masvidal was prepared for a break when he introduced his retirement after a loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287. He didn’t completely step away from combating, nonetheless, and as a substitute launched his personal promotion, placing on occasions in each boxing and bare-knuckle MMA.
Masvidal ultimately determined to check himself in boxing, which is one thing he lengthy desired to discover even whereas he was within the midst of his UFC profession. That’s when the chance arose to face Diaz in a rematch after Masvidal beat him to win the “BMF” title again in 2019.
Regardless of out-landing Diaz throughout the combat and connecting with a number of onerous pictures throughout the 10-round battle, Masvidal nonetheless ended up on the dropping finish of a majority choice. That evening, Masvidal blamed hometown cooking for his loss, pointing to the combat going down in Diaz’s yard in California.
His resolve was solely strengthened after going again and watching the combat at residence.
“How do you rob anyone so blatantly?” Masvidal stated. “However I knew that stepping into. Initially once we have been negotiating, my staff was going to get a choose from California, a choose from Vegas, and a choose from Florida. It appears truthful. And [Diaz’s team] weren’t having it. They’re like, ‘No, we’re not excited by that. Three Californians, all of the judges [have to be] from California or there will likely be no combat. We’re not excited by that.’
“I’m like, it’s such a ho tactic, however in my thoughts I’m considering, ‘I’m going to knock this man out once more anyway, so what do I care? Let him assume these judges being on his facet, he’s going to win. I’m going to go away him face up searching for air.’ However sadly in that division, it didn’t go my approach.”
As a lot because it stung to lose in controversial style, the combat truly served a larger function. It lit a hearth below Masvidal to get again to the game by which he first made his title.
“I ain’t slowing down. I’m coaching on a regular basis, particularly after what that final theft simply did to me,” Masvidal stated. “It left a foul style in my mouth. I knew with three California judges and combating a dude in California.
“It was on no person else’s scorecards anyplace else on the planet. It’s unhealthy. Some rounds that I threw extra, landed extra, hit him extra, rocked him, and so they nonetheless gave him the spherical. It’s identical to, oh my gosh, I don’t even care to return into boxing. That left a foul style in my mouth, and anyhow, I’m an MMA fighter.”
Masvidal isn’t completely opposed to a different boxing match if the suitable alternative is offered to him, however at this level, he’s targeted on returning to the UFC for his subsequent combat.
He did react to the information that Diaz filed a lawsuit in opposition to Fanmio — the corporate that promoted their combat on pay-per-view — after the California native was allegedly stiffed out of $9 million nonetheless owed from the combat.
Masvidal couldn’t reply if he was paid his full purse, but it surely seems like that’s one thing he’ll ultimately handle when the time is correct.
“I’ve received to plead the fifth,” Masvidal stated. “I can’t actually let you know sure or no. Somebody is telling me to plead the fifth proper now and I’ve type of received to take heed to them, however quickly the whole lot will likely be identified. There’s nothing that stays below the solar that doesn’t get delivered to the sunshine. So it should get identified ultimately, however as of proper now, I can’t say a phrase.”
So far as his UFC return, Masvidal isn’t losing any time. He’s already in coaching six days every week along with his coaches and teammates at American High Group in Florida to get again within the type of form required for MMA.
Whereas the date and site are what issues most to him proper now, Masvidal positively has some concepts on potential opponents. That features perhaps even stealing a combat away from longtime rival Conor McGregor.
“It could possibly be this yr,” Masvidal stated of his subsequent combat. “It could possibly be Vegas, Dec. 7. I’ll f*cking drop Michael Chandler useless on his ass. It could possibly be subsequent yr, Tremendous Bowl, knock anyone else on their ass. I don’t know. I don’t fairly know but.
“I’m going to overview all my choices. I’m going to see all my choices, see what the cash appears to be like like too. I like combating, however most don’t have to know that, they could attempt to drop the value on me.”