Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal: The beef that was never squashed
Conor McGregor versus Jorge Masvidal could be the biggest fight in UFC's history. But the more time that passes, the more it seems that such a bout can never happen.
McGregor proved he has no fear of stepping in against anyone in the octagon. Being throned in two different weight classes and competing in a third, McGregor has proved his point. As for Masvidal, he holds the UFC "Bad Motherf***er" belt, which speaks volumes about the kind of gravitas he carries.
But as much as any UFC fan would love to see these two entering the octagon, how likely to happen this bout could be? While McGregor started in the featherweight division and, over time, moved on to lightweight and even welterweight, there is still a big difference in weight and experience in each division.
What does Conor McGregor think about fighting Jorge Masvidal?
Conor McGregor fought Donald Cerrone in the UFC welterweight division. He has had two other fights at 170 - both against Nate Diaz. The Irishman knows how to compete in a weight class two categories above his original one.
But what really gets McGregor's attention is the UFC "Bad Motherf***er" belt. 'The Notorious' already stated his wish to add the title to his collection, and that is where McGregor envisioned a possible fight with Jorge Masvidal.
Talking about what fights he would like to have after fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor said he would be looking to compete against the winner of Diaz vs. Masvidal for the 'BMF' belt. Although McGregor believed that Diaz would rise victorious from the bout, he didn't have any problems changing his mind after the belt was awarded to Masvidal.
What does Jorge Masvidal think about fighting Conor McGregor?
Jorge Masvidal acknowledges that Conor McGregor is a good fighter who is not afraid of battling anyone. But Masvidal thinks that the Irishman does not stand a chance in the UFC welterweight division, especially against someone like himself.
"When they asked [Dana White] why the fight is not happening, he said it in the nicest way possible that I was too much man for him [Conor McGregor]. My will, my size, my determination; mix in with I'm not a quitter, I've never tapped in my life. It's a different type of dog over here. I'm too much man for him in every way that could possibly be said," stated Masvidal.
'Street Judas' revealed that his and McGregor's management teams are frequently in touch, but always with the same outcome. According to Masvidal, "it is not something they want."
Masvidal believes that there are many flaws in McGregor's game that would not be as welcome as they are if he was competing in the welterweight division. Although McGregor has already competed and won bouts at 170 lbs, none of those bouts was against Jorge Masvidal.
"When I see Conor, I see a lot of holes from a technical point. I see X's and O's; I see the square root of his face times my knuckles. [When] I do the math, I lean towards me very heavy. I'm not saying [Conor McGregor]'s scared because anybody that makes that walk, that gets into the cage, that fights champions how he's fought... it's not that he's scared," Masvidal said. "But he knows it's not a good outcome."
What does Dana White think about Conor McGregor versus Jorge Masvidal?
UFC president Dana White is against the fight happening. White believes that the bout would harm Conor McGregor's career in general. The promoter's ultimate wish would be for McGregor to rematch Khabib Nurmagomedov instead of venturing himself again in the welterweight division.
"Masvidal is too big for Conor McGregor. He shouldn't have [fought Nate Diaz at welterweight]. I hated that he did it. Not only did I hate that he did it once; I hated that he did it twice," said White. "He doesn't belong at that weight. He's too big for Conor. Conor doesn't belong at 170."
Even with the 'BMF' belt added to the equation, White does not get stimulated by the idea. For him, there are plenty of fights for Masvidal and McGregor in each of their own divisions.
"Conor McGregor wants that belt from Masvidal. I did it as a one-off, and as I said, it was fun," said White. "[But] I think it's a bad idea. Conor gets pissed off when I say it's a bad idea. I'm not saying [he] can't beat Masvidal."
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