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Jorge Masvidal currently holds the BMF (Baddest Motherf****r) title in the UFC. A lifetime of fighting and not taking any form of disrespect put Masvidal and other fighters like Nate Diaz in the pool for the BMF.
Although it is the most fictitious title in the promotion, many fans think that all the fighters deserve this belt as they are all bad and bold. While many fighter use their bravado as a facade to sell their fight, Masvidal truly is an "anytime, anywhere" type of person.
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Nate Diaz was paired with Masvidal for the birthing of this belt. Mutual respect was shared in the lead-up to this fight and as the saying goes, "real recognizes real".
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Masvidal fighting Diaz was great but was about as anticlimactic as it could be based on how it ended. The official octagon doctor stopped the fight due to a cut above Diaz's eye and the bout was called off right before the championship rounds were to begin. These were the rounds that Diaz usually excelled in.
Although the incumbent BMF title-holder is currently on a three-fight losing streak, he's only lost to the two best welterweights in the UFC. Neither Usman nor Covington fit the requirements to challenge for the BMF title. Hence, the belt still belongs to 'Gamebred'. There's no better way to kick-off his resurgance than his first BMF title defense. So here are five UFC fighters who could challenge Jorge Masvidal for the BMF title in 2022.
#5. UFC welterweight contender - Robbie Lawler
Fan favorite and former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler recently snapped a four-fight skid with a victory over Nick Diaz. 'Ruthless' looked rather impressive in avenging his loss to Nick Diaz.
Now, is Lawler BMF material? The answer is definitely yes. 'Ruthless' is as befitting a nickname as possible. The proof lies in his second fight against Rory MacDonald. He is one of the most aggressive and technical fighters, and taking on Masvidal for the BMF title would make the most sense.
It's hard to find fighters with the same toughness as Nate Diaz and 'Gamebred'. Lawler is more soft-spoken in his approach, but he's quite the terrifying entity in the octagon. Let's not forget when he was commentating on Diaz's victory over Conor McGregor. While answering a reporter about potentially taking on the Irishman, Lawler said:
"If I hurt him, I wasn't taking his neck. [I'd take] his soul."
That line alone warrants a BMF shot, but the rest of his career does him a lot of favors in terms of the opportunity to strip the belt from Masvidal.
#4. Nick Diaz
Perhaps one of the first fighters in the UFC to be considered as "baddest", Nick Diaz is a name that fans will always tune in to watch. Diaz only wants big, unique fights, and both fighters are looking to get a bounce back into the win column.
Moreover, there's the drama about Masvidal defeating Nate Diaz. While Nate Diaz doesn't need anyone fighting for him, Nick spoke openly about how he didn't take too kindly to 'Gamebred' talking about 'baptizing' Nate Diaz in their BMF title fight.
Nick Diaz is the quintessential BMF since he's genuine to himself, trains hard and has the resume to prove how tough he really is. Two phenomenal strikers who will meet in the middle and give it everything they've got will make for a great bout to bring the BMF belt back into action.
#3. Rafael dos Anjos
Perhaps the most under the radar in terms of BMF contenders is former lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos. He has a myriad of marquee names that he's defeated. He's also a former champion and he's recently entered the pool of fighters who are considered to be a "bad motherf****r".
How has he become eligible for the BMF belt? Certainly not just with his impressive wins, but the fact that he's ready and willing to take on these scary short-notice opponents. Both Paul Felder and Renato Carneiro were substitutes for opponents he was originally training for.
Furthermore, dos Anjos has fought the who's who in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. He's taken hard fights that other top contenders didn't want time and time again. Following two five-round fight victories, dos Anjos is deserving of a reward for his incredible career in the UFC and a matchup for the BMF belt would be a fitting move for him and Masvidal.
#2. Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is definitely in the discussion when it comes to who is the baddest mother*****r in the UFC. He's taken on short-notice opponents, he's competed while having injuries and he's also called his shots. "The biggest star in MMA history" is a title that McGregor already owns.
So obviously, he wouldn't mind owning another title. BMF Conor McGregor definitely has a ring to it. This is a fight that Masvidal, McGregor and the fans definitely want. It's just Dana White who doesn't approve of this. He thinks that 'Gamebred' is too big for 'The Notorious' and that McGregor should remain a lightweight contender since he's already held the belt in this division.
Since his leg injury, the Irishman has continued to stay in shape. In fact, McGregor is looking pretty large considering the extent of his injury. Maybe this increase in size might eradicate any hesitation that the UFC president has and will match these two fighters together. McGregor is a great trash talker and fighter and so is Masvidal. This could potentially be the biggest fight in UFC history.
#1. Nate Diaz
Since the fight was stopped due to a cut on Nate Diaz's eyebrow, there was no real finality to the first and only BMF belt title fight. It's almost criminal that a rematch wasn't set up initially, but this bout still makes sense.
Both Masvidal and Diaz have continued to raise their stock since their 2019 meeting. Although Diaz seems to be in a hurry to get his last fight on his current contract over with, it's safe to assume that he'd wait for the Masvidal rematch.
The first fight was exciting up until the doctor made the call that he did, and it would most likely pick up where it left off. The original BMF fight left fans wanting more and the rematch would be much bigger than the initial fight.
