Masvidal Contemplates Lightweight Return

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender, Jorge Masvidal, has not competed since stopping Nate Diaz at UFC 244 last November in New York. And with the world shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, it could be awhile before we see “Gamebred” back in action.

When he does return, Masvidal is expected to get the next crack at 170-pound titleholder, Kamaru Usman, though it should be noted “The Nigerian Nightmare” has a history of taking his sweet time when it comes to putting his strap on the line. Perhaps in the interim “Gamebred” can keep himself busy at 155 pounds?

“It wasn’t until 170, they gave me top-10 and top-5 guys, so I never got, I felt, my fair due shot at ’55. I beat a lot of good guys when I was down there, in the UFC, as well,” Masvidal said on his video channel (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “The moolah is going to talk man; 155 is such a battle with my weight. It’s always been a lot of water, and that doesn’t leave me the night of the fight in the best shape that I could possibly be in.”

Masvidal, 35, has not seen the lightweight division since dropping a split decision to Al Iaquinta roughly five years back in Fairfax. The bout required “Gamebred” to hit the scale more than once after coming in heavy on his first weigh-in attempt.

“Like how I compete at 170, I have that explosion,” Masvidal continued. “I could explode a little bit more and for longer. At ’55, it would be a little different, but that’s not to say I couldn’t win one and that I couldn’t make the weight. If they were to cop up that money, I’d be in a hurry to get down there and show what I’m worth.”

Masvidal (35-13) has won three straight fights at welterweight, all by knockout/technical knockout, so it probably doesn’t make much sense to send “Gamebred” to 155 pounds unless Khabib Nurmagomedov runs out of title contenders.