LAS VEGAS – Jorge Masvidal’s ultimatum in regard to his next career move appears to have backfired.
Following his historic five-second knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July, Masvidal (34-13 MMA, 11-6 UFC) and his team said the only logical next moves in his career were a welterweight title shot or a high-profile showdown with Conor McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC).
It appears he won’t be getting either of those things.
UFC president Dana White revealed on Tuesday that Colby Covington (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will be next in line to challenge welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC), and has repeatedly thrown cold water on the idea of a matchup with McGregor.
It’s a tough break for “Gamebred,” but White said it was a poor idea to limit his options.
“You can’t make ultimatums,” White told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during a Tuesday media scrum in Las Vegas. “Listen, we’re going to offer him a fight and if he accepts the fight he does, and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t.”
With Usman and McGregor off the table for Masvidal, the next most realistic fight would seemingly be against fellow 170-pound contender Leon Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC).
Edwards has won eight-straight fights in the division, including a recent main event win against former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos. He made it clear afterward he wants the Masvidal fight, especially after their memorable backstage encounter in March that saw punches thrown.
White has previously expressed interest in Masvidal vs. Edwards, but he said the heat between the two sides makes it a logistical challenge.
“That’s definitely a good fight to make,” White said following UFC 240 this past month. “The question is: Where do you do that fight and how much security are we going to have?”
