Was Jorge Masvidal saved by doctor's stoppage at UFC 244? Taking a second look at 'Gamebred's' first fight against Nate Diaz

In 2019, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz faced off in one of the most hyped fights in combat sports history. 'Gamebred' defeated fellow MMA legend Diaz via third-round TKO in their welterweight (170-pound) bout, which had the symbolic BMF title at stake.

Masvidal thereby became the first BMF champion. However, the fight's ending was criticized by many and deemed anticlimactic.

The TKO stoppage came between rounds three and four, when the octagon-side physician, Dr. Nitin K. Sethi, suggested that the fight be stopped due to a deep cut over Diaz's right eye. The Stockton native immediately disapproved of the stoppage.

Meanwhile, during his post-fight octagon interview, Masvidal asserted that he'd like a rematch where he could get a clear-cut victory.

Nate Diaz has consistently maintained that he'd have come back strong in rounds four and five to win their five-round UFC 244 showdown. On the other hand, Jorge Masvidal pointed out that he was getting the better of Diaz throughout the three rounds and would've beaten him worse if the fight wasn't called off.

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Was Jorge Masvidal saved by doctor's stoppage against Nate Diaz at UFC 244?

They've expressed respect and animosity toward each other after the BMF title showdown, whilst also calling to run it back. Ultimately, their rematch took place in boxing, not MMA. Nate Diaz has been a free agent since his UFC departure in Sept. 2022, and Jorge Masvidal is still under contract with the UFC but is permitted to compete in three boxing matches (including his boxing match against Diaz).

Their professional boxing encounter marked the second match for both Diaz and Masvidal in the sport. The 10-round light heavyweight (175-pound) bout witnessed both fighters land a high volume of punches, which included a number of power punches to the head and body. The fight went the distance, and the judges scored it as a majority decision (95-95, 97-93, and 98-92) victory for Diaz.

Masvidal kept tagging Diaz with heavy long-range and mid-range strikes to the head and well-timed close-range shots to the body. Regardless, he wasn't able to stop the Stockton 209 representative's forward pressure.

During the later rounds, Diaz's moderate-power high-volume punching strategy paid dividends. It disrupted Masvidal's rhythm, forcing him to readjust after every exchange and preventing him from landing a finishing combination.

So, was Nate Diaz right about UFC 244? After all, he's known for his otherworldly endurance and durability. Maybe, Diaz's gas tank and neverending punches would've drowned Jorge Masvidal in their MMA fight's championship rounds.

It'd be rather unfair to assume he'd have finished Jorge Masvidal. Though the Miami native's cardio (or most other fighters' cardio for that matter!) may not match up to Diaz's level, he's just as durable. Assuming that the doctor didn't stop that fight, the worst-case scenario for 'Gamebred' at UFC 244 would've been getting caught in a flash submission or KO by Diaz. It can happen to anyone.

Nevertheless, Masvidal's BMF title victory wasn't a fluke. While their boxing match was more evenly matched (no pun intended), their MMA fight was one-way traffic for as long as it lasted. He busted Diaz up with punches, elbows, knees, and kicks -- even knocking him down. Besides, Diaz was out-wrestled and his BJJ skills didn't shine either.

If the doctor had let the UFC 244 fight go on, Masvidal would've likely won on the judges' scorecards. That said, in the sport of boxing, Diaz showed that his volume punching and cardio could help him outwork and outshine even a highly-skilled and dangerous striker like 'Gamebred.'