Former world title contender Jorge Masvidal is coming back to the octagon after almost two years of retirement.
The welterweight was once considered one of the biggest stars in the UFC, even earning two shots at then-champion Kamaru Usman. But a series of losses to Usman, Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns led him to hand up his gloves in April of last year.
He has since taken a dip into boxing, losing a very controversial decision to Nate Diaz. But it now seems that he is going to make one last run at the UFC instead of pursuing another big money bout in the ring.
- Who is Dana White? All you need to know about the CEO and President of the UFC
Jorge Masvidal plots UFC comeback after training with Bo Nickal
After his half-a-year excursion into the boxing world, Jorge Masvidal has opted against making another outing in the ring. While appearing on middleweight prospect Bo Nickal’s YouTube channel, he noted that the pair had recently trained, with the wrestling sensation noting that he was ‘surprised’ by how it went.
“Last time I was down here we trained a little bit and you were feeling good,” Nickal told Masvidal. “We were getting after it a little bit in the grappling.”
The former title contender then joked that he wasn’t expecting grappling from someone who had spent so long training his striking. “I got him by surprise because I had been boxing for six months, ” Masvidal explained.
“So the last thing he was expecting that I’d do would be to shoot in [for a takedown]. Who am I to shoot in on Bo? Training’s been going well, I f***ed up my shoulder a little bit, I had to take two days off but the rest of it I’ve got a little bit of training and focused on my striking.
“I’ve been wrestling a lot now and I hadn’t been doing no wrestling whatsoever. So I’ve been getting beat up a little bit, I’m a little sore.”
Jorge Masvidal details why he is leaving boxing behind
Masvidal enjoyed a lot of success in his boxing fight with Diaz, although a surprising and controversial decision went against him. And he appeared to have other potential bouts on the table against the likes of KSI or Jake Paul, but claims his love for the ground game made him want to return to the cage.
“The thing is that I love boxing,” he added. “And if I had to pick one thing from MMA to go and make a living off, it would be boxing. But f***, wrestling is a close second for me; I might not be the best at it but God I miss it.
“I love to wrestle, bro, it’s something fun, man. Slamming somebody on their a**, controlling them, then you caught them and slam them again?
“That dominance that I can take you right off your center of balance it’s nuts. When I was boxing I was missing it a lot, I love it.”
Jorge Masvidal names date and venue for comeback fight
When Masvidal decided to hang up his gloves, he got the opportunity to do it in his native Miami, where the UFC had rarely brought shows for years. And after another successful outing for the promotion this year, he expects them to return in 2025.
His plan is to fight on a March date, and declared that it would take place in his hometown. “Next year in March, I’m there,” he told Nickal, before adding: “If they go to Miami, I’m gonna f**k somebody up in Miami.”
When the unbeaten prospect asked if that was nailed on, Masvidal replied that he doesn’t know. But it does appear to now be a part of the promotion’s schedule, with a massive gate drawing last time out for Sean O’Malley vs Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC 299.
“If they do, they better have me on that show,” Masvidal added, with Nickal also declaring that he would be keen to “jump on” the event. “We’re going to f*** it up,” the Miami native added.
- Who is Joe Rogan? Get to know the UFC mainstay and podcast sensation