Former welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal enters UFC 287 on Saturday against No. 5 ranked Gilbert Burns coming off of three consecutive losses. Those losses were to Kamaru Usman twice and to Colby Covington.
Masvidal still has goals of winning the UFC championship and believes getting to fight for the title begins with a Miami-level win over Burns in the UFC 287 co-main event this weekend. The magnitude of beating Burns isn’t lost on “Gamebred.” For Masvidal, Saturday means ‘everything.’
“Everything,” he answered when asked by ESPN what the fight with Burns means to him. “I’ve suffered three losses for the first time in my career. I don’t usually lose three like that. I’ve got goals still set for myself that I haven’t touched yet, and I need to grab those goals this year. Gilbert is like the perfect way to do that.”
“I feel in my heart of hearts that Gilbert at no point in his career with the UFC could ever contend with me,” continued Masvidal”. From his start in the UFC to my start in the UFC, I’ve always felt I’m levels, shoulders above this guy.
“I don’t feel he has the same dog bursting as me, no where near the same dog and the same skillset. I think it’s a great fight, but this fight sets a lot of things into perspective. If I can’t beat this dude than what am I doing? Maybe it’s time for me to pass it up – But get this W, knock this dude out in my f**king city. That’s the resurrection. That’s the nitrous right there that will challenge for that f**king belt.”
Masvidal hears the clock ticking at 38-years old and wants to leapfrog Covington in line for a title shot. UFC president Dana White has said that Covington will get the next crack at champion Leon Edwards on a few occasions. Masvidal wants to change White’s narrative with a spectacular finish.
“Life or death. A simple way to put it, life or death.” is what Masvidal replied when asked about how much winning the championship means to him. “That’s why I put so much into this and nothing else. I have all these things and these big offers. It’s cool, but nothing means more than that belt wrapped around my waist. Nothing.”
“Getting that belt to me, it’s everything,” continued Masvidal. “And it’s not just getting the belt because Leon is a very good matchup for me in style. I know I could beat the living brakes off of you, bro, just like you know that I’m going to beat the breaks off of you. But it’s not just getting that belt. It’s also defending that belt and going up against the world’s best.”
“For now, this is all that matters to me.”
Jorge Masvidal eyes Gilbert Burns as his golden ticket to a title fight
