The hour is drawing near. The fight for the hardcore fans, the throwback fight for those who have watched MMA evolve from outsider status to corporate juggernaut and lose some of its soul along the way, the reward for two fighters who have been through all the ups and downs over the years, is finally upon us, as Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz square off in the main event of UFC 244.
The welterweights will throw down for the “BMF” belt in one of the world’s great fight arenas, New York’s Madison Square Garden, in what from all indications will be the biggest fight card of the year.
That alone should be enough to get even lapsed fans to cough up money for the pay-per-view. But this is a deep card filled with intriguing matchups which matter in their respective divisions.
UFC 244 takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Without further ado, then, here are seven burning questions heading into UFC 244.
Can the ‘BMF’ fight possibly live up to the hype?
If you’re an MMA fan long enough, you can learn to find clouds on even the sunniest days. After all, for everything people love about this sport, for the natural high a killer fight produces, there are the maddening moments, the infuriating moments, and the pure letdowns.
The latter category comes into play when when a can’t-miss fight, does. You expect fireworks and get a dud instead. And, for all the excitement Masvidal (34-13 MMA, 11-6 UFC) and Diaz (20-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) have delivered over the years, with a combined 88 pro fights, they’ve had their share of less-exciting matchups, too.
Add in all the extra pomp, with a belt being made specifically for this occasion and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the house and even Donald Trump risking going into a non-hand-picked crowd and getting booed again, and yeah, the hype level is high.
Fortunately, Masvidal and Diaz have appeared to be entirely unmoved by everything swirling around them, which is an encouraging sign, and part of the reason why we love this fight in the first place.
7 burning questions heading into UFC 244, with a 'BMF' title fight
