Jorge Masvidal in talks over surprise UFC comeback

Jorge Masvidal has said he is in talks over a potential UFC comeback, a year-and-a-half after his retirement from MMA.

Masvidal retired from the sport in April 2023, in his hometown of Miami, after losing to Gilbert Burns on points. That defeat extended the American’s losing streak to four fights, after he was twice beaten by then-champion Kamaru Usman and once by friend-turned-rival Colby Covington.

Masvidal has fought since his loss to Burns, however, boxing fellow UFC veteran Nate Diaz in July. Masvidal, who beat Diaz via doctor stoppage in the UFC in 2019, lost their boxing match via majority decision – a result that he disputes.

Still, Masvidal is turning his attention to an MMA comeback, with the 39-year-old having told MMA Fighting on Thursday (5 September): “I’ve been talking to my boy Hunter [Campbell, UFC CBO]. Finding out, he’s like, ‘Let me check this date, see if this dude wants the heat, let me see if that guy wants to get beat up.’

“First, we’ll lock in the date. Lock in that date and then we’ll find the body [...] It could be this year, it could be Vegas on 7 December. I’ll f***ing drop Michael Chandler dead on his ass. It could be next year [...] Knock somebody else on their ass.

“I don’t know, I don’t quite know yet. I’m going to review all my options. I’m going to see all my options, see what the money looks like, too. I love fighting, but most don’t need to know that; they might try to drop the price on me.”

Masvidal’s MMA career peaked in 2019, when he fought three times and won each bout via knockout. “Gamebred” stopped Liverpool’s Darren Till in London, before beating Ben Askren with a flying knee in a UFC-record five seconds, then defeated Diaz to become the first ‘Baddest Motherf****r’ champion ever.

But what followed was Masvidal’s four-fight losing streak, which rounded out his UFC career. The American was outpointed by Usman while challenging for the welterweight title on short notice in 2020, then lost their rematch via knockout in 2021.

In 2022, Masvidal was comprehensively outpointed by former teammate Covington, before 2023 brought the decision loss to Burns.