Jorge Masvidal’s memorable 2019 run that made him a top candidate for “Fighter of the Year” was closed out by a main event victory on one of the more unique nights in MMA history.
With President Donald Trump seated cageside and The Rock on hand to glorify the winner with the “BMF” title, Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) beat Nate Diaz to claim the specially created belt in the UFC 244 headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York.
After scoring thrilling knockouts of Ben Askren and Darren Till earlier in 2019, Masvidal closed out the most notable year of his career by busting up Diaz’s face en route to a third-round TKO due to a doctor stoppage. It didn’t come without controversy, though, as many, including Diaz, felt he could have continued to compete.
The fight largely lived up to expectations prior to being cut short, and the win elevated Masvidal into a position to challenge for the UFC welterweight title, which he’ll do Saturday when he faces Kamaru Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) in the UFC 251 main event at Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Watch the video above to watch Masvidal’s encounter with Diaz in full ahead of UFC 251.
