UFC “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal steps into the main event spotlight on just six days’ notice as he takes on reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 251.
Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) has agreed to step into the breach after Brazilian contender Gilbert Burns was forced out of the main event following a positive COVID-19 test. It means “Gamebred” will contest his first UFC title fight – and only his second fight for a major MMA title – in a 16-year career that has seen him face a who’s who of notable names throughout a career spanning a host of continents and promotions.
Ahead of his main event clash with Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) on Saturday, we take a look at five fights that have helped define Masvidal’s UFC career so far.
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Cezar Ferreira at The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 Finale – Jul. 12, 2015
After going 5-2 in the UFC’s lightweight division, Masvidal made the move back to welterweight for the first time in five years as he took on Brazil’s Cezar Ferreira in the finale of the American Top Team vs. Blackzilians season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Ferreira looked to rough up Masvidal early, and managed to get “Gamebred” to the canvas via a well-executed takedown. But Masvidal avoided any damage from the bottom and worked his way back to his feet, before starting to let fly with his strikes.
Ferreira looked to grab another takedown, but Masvidal was wise to it and kept things upright, even when shoved back against the fence. Once there, “Gamebred” bided his time, then exploded off the cage with a huge elbow that dropped Ferreira to the canvas. Four piston-like punches to the downed Brazilian closed the show and announced Masvidal as a dangerous new threat at 170 pounds.
Watch Jorge Masvidal vs. Cezar Ferreira on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Shooting down “Cowboy”
Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 23 – Jan. 28, 2017
The acid test of Masvidal’s title credentials at 170 came back in 2017 when he was matched against in-form Donald Cerrone, who was being tipped by many as a potential title challenger.
“Cowboy” headed into the fight riding a four-fight, four-finish win streak since moving up to welterweight, while Masvidal was battling to shake off the inconsistency that saw him either win by finish, or get edged out on the scorecards.
The judges weren’t necessary at the Pepsi Center in Denver, however, as Masvidal and Cerrone traded shots through a crowd-pleasing opening round. Then, one minute into Round 2, Masvidal made the breakthrough as he caught a Cerrone kick and dropped “Cowboy” with a lightning-fast left-right combination. “Gamebred” then followed his man to the mat and finished the job with heavy ground strikes to claim a statement victory and put himself right in the mix at the sharp end of the welterweight division.
Watch Jorge Masvidal vs. Donald Cerrone on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Bouncing back in Britain
Darren Till at UFC on ESPN+ 5 – Mar. 16, 2019
After that win over Cerrone, Masvidal lost his next two fights on the scorecards, as he dropped decisions to Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson. Masvidal took some time away from the cage and competed in Cuban reality show “Exatlon Estados Unidos” as he spent three months in virtual isolation from the rest of the world. When he returned to action to face surging British star Till in March, Masvidal looked as relaxed and ready as we’ve ever seen him.
England’s Till was looking to bounce back into title contention at 170 pounds and many saw the fight as a style-friendly matchup for “The Gorilla.” But Masvidal didn’t arrive in the UK to be anybody’s stepping stone and, after winning over the fans with a fun street-MMA seminar at his open workout session, he stepped into the octagon ready to reignite his career.
Masvidal was dropped early as Till showed his confidence and striking power. But the Florida native quickly adjusted and started to find a home for his shots in the second half of the opening round.
Those shots weren’t full-power punches, however, as Masvidal used the first round to set his range and establish his timing against the aggressive Brit. That first-round setup work paid off in the second, when he loaded up and finished the Brit with a huge right hand to score what at the time was a shock victory.
He then went on to scuffle with another British welterweight contender, Leon Edwards, after leaving his post-fight interview to deliver what he infamously called “a three-piece and a soda” to Edwards. The incident, and the phrase, trended worldwide and Masvidal, after 16 years on the scene, went from a respected veteran to a bonafide superstar almost overnight.
Watch Jorge Masvidal vs. Darren Till on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Blink and you’ll miss it
Ben Askren at UFC 239 – Jul. 6, 2019
After his win over Till, Masvidal was matched with then-undefeated former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion Ben Askren in a fight between two polarizing characters with title aspirations at 170 pounds.
To say their personalities clashed would be an understatement. While Askren verbally prodded and poked Masvidal in the leadup to the fight, “Gamebred” simmered. But by the time fight week arrived in Las Vegas, Masvidal was ready to unleash his full arsenal on a fighter he believed was one-dimensional.
What transpired on fight night at UFC 239 will never be forgotten by those who saw it. Just seconds before the fight started, Masvidal could be seen leaning back against the fence, hands behind his back, smiling intently. It was as if he knew something Askren didn’t.
He did.
As soon as the fight started, Masvidal skipped away from the fence and, as Askren came forward looking to score an early takedown, unleashed a perfectly-timed flying knee that instantly knocked out his man. A few “super necessary” follow-up punches put the seal on the fastest win in UFC history. Askren’s undefeated record was gone in just five seconds, and Masvidal became one of the biggest stars in the sport.
Watch Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: The “BMF” champion
Nate Diaz at UFC 244 – Nov. 2, 2019
Following his stunning victory over Askren, a title shot seemed an inevitability for Masvidal. But when “Gamebred” stepped back into the octagon in the main event of UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden, it wasn’t the UFC welterweight title in his sights, it was the one-off “BMF” title.
The belt, created by the UFC, was put up for grabs as Masvidal took on Nate Diaz in a matchup that captured the imagination of fight fans across the world. President Donald Trump was in attendance, and Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. “The Rock,” delivered the belt to the octagon. Then the two fighters threw down in an action-packed encounter.
Masvidal held the upper hand thoughout the fight, using his superior hand speed and thumping kicks to work Diaz to the head and body. By the time Diaz had warmed up and started having success of his own, he was already busted up by the punishment dished out by Masvidal. That damage ultimately forced the stoppage between rounds as the cageside doctor ruled the cut above Diaz’s eye too bad to allow him to continue and the fight was waved off.
Masvidal was the deserving winner, but the manner of the victory left some fans disappointed. A rematch seemed like a natural next step, but Masvidal sky-high stock also made a shot at the title a distinct possibility. Now he’ll get the chance to add the UFC title to his BMF belt this weekend.
UFC 251 takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
