Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal is a bigger fight than "BMF" rematch
There's no denying Nate Diaz's popularity. The Stockton Slugger has been the name of the game ever since he stepped inside the octagon almost a decade back. From headlining UFC on Fox to becoming one of the very few stars to headline a PPV without a title belt on the line, Nate Diaz has come a long way and continues to be one of the most valuable assets for the company.
Earlier, UFC President Dana White revealed that the promotion is looking at Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz in a rematch for the symbolic "BMF" belt in early 2021. However, there's an argument to be made that Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington makes more sense and is a bigger fight than the hugely anticipated "BMF" rematch.
While there's a reason to believe that Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz is a financial success, there's a far more compelling and intriguing rivalry in the form of Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington. The former room-mates, trainers, and best-friends turned bitter foes, UFC has not seen a rivalry akin to this in a very long time. The last time UFC had such a compelling and personal rivalry was TJ Dillashaw vs Cody Garbrandt. While there have been compelling rivalries in the form of Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier, and Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen to name a few, Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington is on the same bar and an equally important fight for the division.
Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington could be the biggest non-title fight this year
Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington share a genuine hatred towards each other. Both the fighters have had their fair share of back and forth on social media, and continue to despise each other even after several years. Soon after his emphatic stoppage win over Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington called out Jorge Masvidal.
Earlier, both the fighters have gone personal with each other on numerous occasions, with Covington's trash talk against his teammates at ATT including Jorge Masvidal leading to his ouster from the gym. Since then, Colby Covington has donned the Colby Covington 2.0 persona with Covington Incorporate on display after leaving ATT and finding his team.
Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal is fresh off a unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 251. Masvidal failed to capture the UFC gold in a short-notice fight against Kamaru Usman after he replaced #1 Welterweight contender Gilbert Burns after he tested positive for corona-virus.
The winner of Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington will likely get a sure shot at the title. After failing to capture the gold in their first attempt against Kamaru Usman, both the fighters could be looking at grabbing another opportunity to fight for the Welterweight Championship. Covington is currently ranked #1 in the UFC Welterweight division, with Jorge Masvidal at the fourth spot.
Additionally, Dana White in the post-fight press conference after the conclusion of UFC 253 stated that he is inclining more towards the Colby Covington fight, considering the BMF rematch will continue to be despite the shuffle in the rankings. Earlier Nate Diaz had teased a potential rematch by dropping a video on his Youtube page titled, "4 rounds," taking a subtle dig at the controversial doctor stoppage at the end of the third round at UFC 244.
The winner of this fight is certain to get a title opportunity against the winner of Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns at UFC 256. On the other hand, another win over Nate Diaz may not guarantee Masvidal his title opportunity as Nate Diaz is ranked #13 in the UFC Welterweight rankings.
With the likes of Leon Edwards, and Colby Covington waiting for the result of Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns, there's a reason to believe that Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington is a much better match-up than the "BMF" title match