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At UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal lost to Colby Covington via unanimous decision. The veteran is now on a three-fight losing streak but remains one of the biggest stars in the sport. However, he recently signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, so we should see 'Gamebred' in several more fights before he retires.
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This new lucrative deal also gives us a few clues as to who we can expect Masvidal to face in his upcoming bouts. The UFC is unlikely to want to spend a lot of money on having him fight rising welterweight contenders, so we can assume only high-profile fighters are in the running.
While Masvidal's rivalry with Covington may have come to an end on Saturday, there are still several other fighters with whom he has a score to settle. It would be smart of him to take on any of these fights as soon as possible in an attempt to gain back some of the momentum.
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Here are five opponents that Jorge Masvidal must face before he retires.
#5. Jorge Masvidal vs. Tony Ferguson
This may not be the most obvious choice of opponents for Jorge Masvidal, but in truth, his options are somewhat limited. There are only so many names that would be high-profile enough to make to make this work, which is why someone like Tony Ferguson could be a good fit.
Ferguson typically fights at lightweight but has fought at welterweight in the past, even winning The Ultimate Fighter 13 at 170 lbs. Given that he has now lost three fights in a row at 155 lbs, a move up to welterweight could rejuvenate 'El Cucuy' and preserve his status as a top star in the UFC.
A fight between Masvidal and Ferguson would bring big numbers to the UFC as both fighters are very popular amongst fans. They could also tell a similar east coast versus west coast narrative like we saw when 'Gamebred' faced Nate Diaz.
#4. Jorge Masvidal vs. Conor McGregor
Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor are two of the biggest stars on the UFC roster today. As such, a bout between these men would be a huge fight with substantial mainstream appeal. The UFC would be smart to capitalize on this and book this matchup at the earliest.
McGregor last competed at lightweight but has fought at welterweight in the past and currently appears to be heavier than he has been in the past. Both 'The Notorious' and 'Gamebred' prefer to stand and strike, which would also make this a particularly entertaining matchup.
On top of that, these two fighters may be the best when it comes to generating interest and selling a fight. They are big names in the industry and would be bound to give fans plenty of entertainment in the build-up to this bout.
#3. Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson II
Although Jorge Masvidal and Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson have already fought once before in 2017, the re-match would be a much bigger deal this time around. Both men have continued to build their resumes in the time since their first fight, but Masvidal is a far bigger star now.
His run in 2019 led to him earning the symbolic BMF belt in honor of his status as one of the baddest in the game. Thompson, on the other hand, is known to be one of the nicest men in MMA and, as such, was even awarded a NMF belt himself. This would provide a fun back-drop to their rematch.
Additionally, this bout has the advantage of making sense in terms of the UFC rankings. After UFC 272, Masvidal dropped one spot behind Thompson, so a bout between these two fighters is the next logical step in this division. With both men in need of a win, it would be a good way of ensuring one star gets back on track.
#2. Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards
A grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards was supposed to happen late last year but sadly it never came to fruition. A fight between these two has been greatly anticipated ever since their backstage incident in London in 2019.
The incident makes selling this fight relatively straight-forward whenever the UFC chooses to do so. The footage alone perfectly captures the bad blood between the two fighters and would quickly generate interest in seeing them settle the score in the octagon.
Both men also remain highly-ranked in the welterweight division. While Edwards is expected to be the next challenger for Kamaru Usman's welterweight title, if he is unsuccessful in that fight, a bout with Masvidal would be the next best option. Here's hoping to eventually see a resolution to the 'three piece and a soda' saga.
#1. Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz II
Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz had the defining rivalry of 2019. The feud never truly came to a satisfactory conclusion after their bout was stopped due to a deep cut on Diaz's face. At the time, many expected an immediate rematch and while that didn't happen, the appetite for a second fight continues to exist today.
Their first bout was for the symbolic BMF championship and it would make sense for that belt to be on the line again in a rematch. There was also substantial mainstream interest in the fight, which would once again re-surface if they fought for a second time.
Masvidal seems poised to join Diaz as a big-name fighter who is almost above the UFC rankings. We have seen how Diaz is now able to take on any welterweight he likes and create big-time fights in the process. What better way to welcome 'Gamebred' into this elite company than finally resolving the BMF debate for good.
