Ahead of his boxing match with former MMA foe Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal has named three fights he’d love to land before making his return to the UFC.
We’re only a few weeks away from seeing the original BMF title fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz re-run, but this time in the boxing ring; and ‘Gamebred’ has already set out his stall for the next stage of his career.
Jorge Masvidal returns to action to face Nate Diaz in the Boxing ring
UFC legend Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal finally returns to combat sports on Saturday, June 1 when he takes on former foe Nate Diaz in the boxing ring.
The bout will take place at the Kia Forum in California and will be scheduled for 10 rounds at light heavyweight, to be broadcast exclusively as a PPV product via Fanmio.
Both Masvidal and Diaz have had one professional boxing match; Masvidal won a majority decision all the way back in 2005, whilst Nate Diaz lost via unanimous decision to Jake Paul in 2023.
Jorge Masvidal names three fights he’d want before UFC return
Speaking to media members in Miami, as part of the promotional press tour for the upcoming boxing match against Diaz, Jorge Masvidal teased that he “definitely” will be making a return to the UFC at some point later down the line:
“I’m definitely going to come back to the UFC and give a W for my city, for my family and my kids, everybody who believes in me, I got to go back to the UFC.”
The veteran athlete will understandably be desperate to bow out with a big victory, given that since defeating Nate Diaz for the BMF title back in 2019, Masvidal suffered four consecutive losses to Kamaru Usman (twice), Colby Covington, and Gilbert Burns – with his last MMA bout coming in April 2023.
Yet ‘Gamebred’ has business to take care of in the squared circle before he steps back into the octagon; suggesting that he could land several enormous fights ahead of an eventual return to Mixed Martial Arts… Or as he puts it: “I’m trying to get some big a** cheques, you know what I’m saying, break some f***** necks.”
“I wouldn’t mind taking on Logan Paul and rearranging his face, he’s a hell of a fighter with the boxing from where he comes from being an influencer, he did some good things against Mayweather – but I think that I can end that dude.”
Aside from Logan Paul, who has been making waves in the professional wrestling world rather than the boxing ring of late, Masvidal also had two bonified legends on his hit list:
“Man, I’d like to fight Logan, [but] if I get my hands on [Floyd] Mayweather, [or Manny] Pacquiao down the road, any of these guys, [they’re] other guys I’d like to fight.”
‘Gamebred’ teases knockout victory over Diaz in June
Speaking on the upcoming boxing bout itself, Masvidal reiterated his desire to get back into the win column after a string of disappointments in the UFC octagon:
“I definitely had to come back to fighting, I couldn’t go out on an L, especially for the city – I got to get several W’s before I can hang it up, that’s never been more clear in my mind you know.”
Masvidal shared how he has been in training since January 2024, and that he’s primed to be in “select shape ready to go and kill somebody” by the time that June rolls around.
“I’m in great shape man, the fight was supposed to take place in Miami in March – didn’t happen, then the fight was supposed to take place on April 20th – didn’t happen, all while I’ve been training my a** off.”
“Knock him dead bro, no questions and no nothing – I don’t want another man intervening in what I got to do, I got to kill a man and that’s with these bad boys right here,” he said, gesturing with clenched fists towards the camera.
Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz goes down on June 1, 2024.