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It appears the Ultimate Fighting Championship has shifted
gears when it comes to its plans for Jorge
Masvidal.
The Las Vegas-based promotion was
reportedly looking to book Masvidal in a “BMF” title rematch
against Nate Diaz at
some point in early 2021, but those plans have changed following
Colby
Covington’s dismantling of Tyron
Woodley at UFC Fight Night 178. Now, a showdown between former
American Top Team stablemates appears to be on the horizon.
“It’s very possible (Masvidal vs. Covington) is next,” UFC
president Dana White said at the UFC 253 post-fight press
conference on Saturday. “… I don’t know if we’ve even talked to
Nate yet. But yeah, after the Colby fight (vs. TWoodley), how do
you not make that fight? That’s the fight that makes sense.
“The Nate
Diaz rematch is going to be there no matter what happens.”
Masvidal defeated Diaz via doctor stoppage after three rounds in
the UFC 244 headliner at Madison Square Garden last November. The
ending was somewhat anticlimactic, leaving the door open for a
rematch down the road. While Diaz hasn’t competed since then,
Masvidal returned at UFC 251, where he dropped a five-round verdict
against Kamaru
Usman in a welterweight title bout on July 11.
Covington
called out Masvidal following his victory over Woodley in Las
Vegas last weekend, which seems to have changed the UFC’s
matchmaking focus.
“Where’s Jorge Masvidal at?” Covington said at the UFC Fight Night
178 post-fight press conference. “He needs to come see me for all
the talking he’s done. Come see if can walk the walk. I talk the
talk and I walk the walk. I want to see Jorge Masvidal in that
Octagon. … I want the best friends turned enemy fight with ‘Street
Judas’ Jorge Masvidal.”
