"One win changes this conversation greatly"- Chael Sonnen explains the thing that could get Jorge Masvidal a third UFC title shot, in the current welterweight landscape

Chael Sonnen has outlined how Jorge Masvidal could secure a third shot at the UFC welterweight title. Masvidal has competed twice for the welterweight belt. ‘Gamebred’ came up short on both occasions, losing to then-UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in 2020 and 2021.

Intriguingly, Usman lost his title to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 last month. This, in turn, has led many to believe that Masvidal could possibly be accorded yet another title shot, as he’s a longtime rival of reigning champion Edwards.

Masvidal famously sucker-punched Edwards backstage at the UFC London event in March 2019. The duo have consistently tried to face one another inside the octagon ever since. However, their grudge match hasn’t materialized yet.

In an edition of Beyond the Fight, Chael Sonnen alluded to the fact that Jorge Masvidal is on a three-fight losing streak. Moreover, ‘The Bad Guy’ pointed out that welterweights such as Kamaru Usman, Khamzat Chimaev, Nate Diaz, Colby Covington, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Belal Muhammad, and Sean Brady are chomping at the bit to fight for the title.

Sonnen opined that a couple of wins would surely get Masvidal a title shot against Edwards. He insinuated that if Masvidal wins one fight, he’s less likely to face ‘Rocky’ for the belt but could still get that fight due to their long-running rivalry.

Alternatively, Sonnen suggested that Masvidal should volunteer to serve as the backup/replacement fighter for Edwards’ next fight which is likely to be against Usman. Indicating that Masvidal could step into a third title fight if Edwards or Usman withdraws from their matchup at the last minute, Sonnen stated:

“Jorge thinking – Let me keep my danced card empty. And let me get in there with Leon, who everybody wants to see for these reasons, even if I have competitive architecture problems making the argument. We’re getting closer.” Sonnen continued, “One win changes this conversation greatly. I don’t know if it changes it enough because you’ve got a pretty good logjam there.”

Watch Sonnen discuss the topic at 3:33 in the video below:

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Is a Jorge Masvidal title shot on the cards in 2023?

Akin to Chael Sonnen’s assessment, certain sections of the MMA community believe Leon Edwards’ title victory has opened the doors for a potential Jorge Masvidal title shot. However, in his discussions regarding Masvidal, Sonnen admitted that he’s unlikely to be given a title shot right now.

As noted, Jorge Masvidal is on a three-fight losing streak. The BMF champion hasn’t won a fight since November 2019. Considering the aforementioned variables at play, a Masvidal title shot in 2023 seems farfetched, to say the least. Instead, it’s believed that Masvidal could end up fighting Gilbert Burns rather than Edwards next.

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