5 potential opponents for Jorge Masvidal after UFC 272 loss

Modified Mar 08, 2022 10:55 GMT

At UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal came up short against his bitter rival Colby Covington, dropping a unanimous decision. However, 'Gamebred' recently signed a new lucrative deal with the UFC, implying that the promotion still has big plans for the BMF titleholder.

Masvidal is now on a three-fight losing streak. With that in mind, it is hard to imagine the UFC having the justification to place him anywhere near a title shot anytime soon. Nevertheless, there are still a number of high-profile fights that the Miami native can take to put him back on track.

In the following list, we break down five potential opponents for Jorge 'Gamebred' Masvidal after his loss at UFC 272.

#5. Jorge Masvidal vs. Michael Chiesa

Jorge Masvidal is such a veteran of the sport that he has already faced many of the top contenders in the welterweight division. That is exactly the case with Michael Chiesa, whom Masvidal submitted back when they both competed at 155 pounds.

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However, since then, Chiesa has thrived in the welterweight division. 'Maverick' has picked up high-level wins against the likes of Neil Magny and Rafael dos Anjos. However, as of late, he has come up short and is currently riding a two-fight losing streak.

A fight between Masvidal and Chiesa would be the ideal matchup to get the winner back on track towards title contendership.

#4. Jorge Masvidal vs. Sean Brady

One of the few fighters in the welterweight top 10 without an opponent booked, Sean Brady could seek to capitalize off of Jorge Masvidal's star power and introduce himself to the masses.

Holding a perfect 15-0 record, Sean Brady has been tearing up the UFC's 170-pound division. The young prospect already has wins over top-level opposition such as Michael Chiesa and Jake Mathews, proving his ability to hang with the very best.

Brady's skillset would no doubt be a nightmare for Masvidal, as he utilizes pressure wrestling paired with a nasty submission game. However, if 'Gamebred' could overcome Brady, then he would reinstate himself back into the elite of the weight class.

#3. Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards

Everything currently indicates that Leon Edwards will be next to fight for the UFC welterweight title. However, the world of MMA is tumultuous at the best of times. Should 'Rocky' not compete for the belt this summer, be that due to injury or any other reason, then the grudge match with Masvidal is one to make.

Edwards and Masvidal notoriously came to blows behind the scenes at a UFC London event in 2019. Since then, there has been a long-running rivalry between the two men that fans are clamoring to see play out inside the UFC octagon.

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#2. Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen Thompson

A former foe of Jorge Masvidal, Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson is at a similar stage in his career to 'Gamebred'. The karate specialist has competed for the title multiple times and come up short. However, he has kept his place in the top 10 of the division, overcoming many a rising prospect in his time.

Masvidal and Thompson first faced off in 2017, with Thompson winning a very competitive split decision. After the loss, Masvidal reinvented himself and went on an incredible run in 2019.

Whether this new version of 'Gamebred' could overcome 'Wonderboy' remains to be seen, but it is certainly a matchup that fans would love to see, again...

#1. Jorge Masvidal vs. Conor McGregor

The fight to make next for Masvidal is quite clearly a bout against the iconic Conor McGregor, as soon as the 'Notorious' megastar returns from injury later in the year. Both men have struggled as of late, dropping several successive bouts against the elite of their respective divisions.

Despite those losses, Masvidal and McGregor remain two of the biggest stars currently signed to the UFC. There is no reason why either fighter should be competing for a title next, so the logical move would be to pair them off against each other in the main event of a pay-per-view card.