It's likely that Jorge Masvidal's final appearance at UFC is still a long way off.
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Retirement rarely takes hold in the world of combat sports, and “Gamebred” hung up his gloves in what he thought would be his final fight after losing a decision to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 in April 2023. But more than a year later, Masvidal has changed his mind and is fighting in the ring as he contemplates a return to MMA.
This Saturday in Anaheim, California, Masvidal will once again face off against old rival Nate Diaz, this time in a 10-round boxing bout. Masvidal first faced the Stockton native in 2019, winning the main event of UFC 244 to capture the inaugural BMF Championship. Now, years later, they will rematch in the boxing ring on their own terms.
The Masvidal-Diaz fight is the first of three boxing matches that UFC has given him the go ahead to take part in, with Masvidal still under contract with the top MMA promotion. That said, the 39-year-old is eager to land “the biggest fight possible” in boxing, with names like…
“Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul, that's what I think,” Masvidal said. Michael Bisping“That's what my guys are thinking and trying to do… I want to have the biggest fight possible, fight Rogan, break all the pay-per-view records, spend more time boxing, hone my boxing skills, learn more about my technique and then go after Mayweather.”
Former boxing champion Mayweather may have already called time on his professional career after beating Conor McGregor by TKO in 2017 to improve to a 50-0 record in one of the biggest crossover fights imaginable, but he's still not done making money since then, competing in a few exhibition bouts and defeating influencers and fighters, including Logan Paul.
After fighting a full round against Mayweather in 2021, the older Paul brother (and social media personality) returned to boxing last year with a highly controversial disqualification win over Dillon Danis.
In addition to Mayweather and Paul, Masvidal is also set to hear from Michael Bisping about potential fights against former UFC stars Mike Perry and Darren Till, a former title challenger who Masvidal already beat at UFC London in 2019.
“I've always loved Mike Perry's style since he came into UFC and he's a tremendous fighter,” Masvidal said of the BKFC star, who will face Jake Paul on July 20. “That would be a massive fight in the future if it happens.”
“I've already had a fistfight with Darren Till, it was a massive fistfight,” Masvidal added. “I think Till is more and more focused on boxing, so I wouldn't mind him coming back to the UK and boxing again.”
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After three boxing bouts, Masvidal said he would “return to UFC” for at least one more fight in the Octagon as contractual repayment.
“As one of the conditions, [of boxing] “I'm going to come back and have one fight at UFC, so that's the plan. I'm going to come back and definitely have one more fight, and then I'll see how it goes from there and decide if I want to stay with UFC or maybe come back to boxing,” Masvidal added.
“There's something missing,” Masvidal said when asked about the current state of the UFC welterweight division, “and that something is your son in top condition, with intensity and putting on a great fight.”
But for that to happen, Jorge Masvidal must first settle his rivalry with Nate Diaz in this weekend's boxing main event.
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