NEW YORK – Jorge Masvidal doesn’t really care who’s standing across him inside the octagon.
Whether it’s UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington, who are set to square off Dec. 14 in the main event of UFC 245, Masvidal (34-13 MMA, 11-6 UFC) has declared himself the A-side.
“To tell you the truth, I’m the ticket at 170,” Masvidal told MMA Junkie and other reporters Thursday at media day. “Whoever I fight, I make that fight huge. I make that fight big, you know.”
Masvidal is headlining Saturday’s UFC 244 “BMF” title fight vs. Nate Diaz in one of the rare occasions in which an official UFC title is not on the line for a pay-per-view main event. A win over Diaz could very well cement him as the next 170-pound title challenger against the winner of Usman and Covington.
Despite his recent rift with American Top Team teammate and former best friend Covington, Masvidal is not concerned with the drama that could ensue with a potential fight with Covington. He doesn’t want to give, what he believes, is unnecessary shine.
“When it’s business, it’s the biggest paychecks. It’s the biggest belts,” Masvidal said. “I could give a (expletive) less for my personal side to bring it to my business. There’s a lot of guys from where I’m from, still trying to fight me. I’m not going to bring them to my biggest stage. I’ll take care of them in the parking lot somewhere because at the end of the day I love to fight, so I’ll give you that. But he’s not going to be on stage with me, sharing it if he doesn’t deserve it.”
Jorge Masvidal: Whether it's Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington, 'I'm the ticket at 170'
