Jorge Masvidal? Nate Diaz? Here's who can save UFC 300 now that Conor McGregor is possibly out

UFC 300 remains a topic of interest among MMA fans, though not merely due to everyone anticipating the pay-per-view. It is largely because of the relative mystery surrounding the event, as there is still no headline bout announced. In fact, there have been very few matchups revealed.

The curiosity among fans is at an all-time high due to Conor McGregor's apparent absence from the card. So who, if not the Irishman, will headline UFC 300? It is an open question, especially given how stacked UFC 297, UFC 298, and UFC 299 are, which each feature many of MMA's top stars.

So, who is left? Based on recent developments, UFC 300 may very well feature retired fighters or those who have left the promotion for greener pastures. Specifically, the UFC could call upon the services of Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz...

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Jorge Masvidal unretires amid fan speculation about UFC 300

Conor McGregor recently drew the attention of the MMA world by announcing both the date and opponent he will face upon his octagon return. The foe, as has been reported for nearly a year now, was revealed to be none other than Michael Chandler, at middleweight, no less.

However, the date he revealed also left fans scratching their heads. According to McGregor, he will make his return to fighting on June 29, the date for this year's International Fight Week PPV. If McGregor's claims are true, UFC 300 will need another headliner.

Could Jorge Masvidal answer the call? 'Gamebred' retired from MMA back in April 2023 after losing to Gilbert Burns, marking his fourth consecutive defeat. However, Masvidal has since walked back on his retirement by taking to X/Twitter to reveal that he has decided to unretire.

While there is no confirmation that Masvidal plans on returning to the UFC, the timing of his announcement with UFC 300 lacking in terms of star power has raised some eyebrows.

Jon Jones is still recovering from a severe pectoral tendon tear, so he won't be in a position to headline the event. Sean O'Malley, meanwhile, is defending his bantamweight title in the headline act of UFC 299 against Marlon Vera. Israel Adesanya, another fighter with enough star power to headline UFC 300, is currently on a hiatus and has shown few indications of an early return from his sabbatical.

With few options left, what about Masvidal? While he has a big name, it is unlikely that the UFC will choose him as a headline act due, in part, to his losing streak. Masvidal retired from MMA after a four-fight skid, and few fighters besides McGregor can maintain their star power after suffering losses.

This is evidenced by 'Gamebred' failing to reach one million pay-per-view buys after losing to Kamaru Usman at UFC 251. His numbers experienced a gradual decrease after that, so it is fair to question whether fans will be excited for a bout featuring a fighter who retired on a four-fight skid.

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Nate Diaz is a stronger choice for a UFC 300 headliner

Ideally, Nate Diaz's octagon return would take place against Conor McGregor, who he was once scheduled to face at UFC 200 before McGregor's desire to limit his media obligations drew the UFC's wrath. Unfortunately, a UFC 300 appearance seems to be off the cards for the Irishman.

Instead, McGregor has recently spoken about returning on June 29. So a bout between the two is unlikely for now.

Diaz, however, has nevertheless expressed an interest in taking part in UFC 300. So who could he face?

As it turns out, there is someone to whom the Stockton superstar was repeatedly linked prior to his UFC exodus: Dustin Poirier. 'The Diamond' and Diaz were booked to cross swords years ago at UFC 230 back in November 2018, but their bout never took place after Poirier sustained an injury.

As a potential headliner, the matchup makes sense. Diaz and Poirier have a rivalry that the bout can be built off, given the former's claims that 'The Diamond' avoided their matchup. This narrative, in turn, drew Poirier's ire. Both men came close to another matchup not long before Diaz's departure from the UFC.

Thus, a return to the octagon against someone with whom he has bad blood could lead to an intriguing matchup for fans. Furthermore, Poirier himself is in need of a direction after his recent 'BMF' title loss to Justin Gaethje. He is no position to pursue undisputed title fights, and isn't interested in facing top contenders.

Poirier is largely concerned with taking on fighters with name value and earning as much money as possible. Besides facing McGregor in a quadrilogy fight, there is no fighter close enough to his weight class with a name as big as Diaz's. Covington was once a candidate but his stock has taken a massive hit recently.

Booking Diaz vs. Poirier for a welterweight bout at UFC 300 could save the card, especially if the younger Diaz brother is joined by Nick Diaz in a possible rematch with Georges St-Pierre, however unlikely that may be.