ABU DHABI – It wasn’t a perfect process, but in the end, Jorge Masvidal got what what he was asking for.
After a contract dispute with the UFC in which he refused to settle for the promotion’s offer, Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) was called upon as a late-notice replacement for UFC 251 after original headliner Gilbert Burns tested positive for COVID-19. The UFC was in need of a new main event on one week’s notice – the perfect bargaining chip for Masvidal.
On the eve of his UFC 251 title fight main event vs. Kamaru Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC), Masvidal fielded questions from reporters – but only briefly. During his under three-minute scrum, however, Masvidal offered some important words to young fighters regarding the business side of the fight game.
“Stick to your guns,” Masvidal said. “Don’t let none of these devils and demons hold you down. I’ve been here for a while. It’s taken me a while. I don’t let no oppression get the better of me. If they didn’t come to the numbers I wanted, I would’ve been right in Miami, Florida sitting on my couch, eating sushi, playing video games. They came correct. That’s why I’m here.”
Perhaps the biggest piece of advice from Masvidal to fighters is to simply “know your value.” Masvidal admits he made a number of mistakes on his ascent to stardom, even though it was no fault of his own.
“That’s the only thing I can tell young fighters coming up,” Masvidal said. “Know your value. A lot of the young guys just don’t know their value. Because a lot of the young guys don’t know their value, and it’s not their fault. I didn’t know my value. When I was 19, 20 years old, if somebody offered me $2,000, I’d kill a gorilla. It’s tough as these kids are coming up. All I can tell them is know your value and stick to your guns.”
UFC 251 takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
On eve of UFC 251, Jorge Masvidal urges fellow fighters: 'Know your value and stick to your guns'