Exclusive: Jorge Masvidal blames Conor McGregor for missed chance at breaking records; nearly quits interview at mention of Dillon Danis
It's no secret that there's no love lost between Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor. The two MMA superstars have long fired verbal shots at each other on social media and in interviews, with 'Gamebred' accusing the Irishman of avoiding a fight against him on multiple occasions.
Given the bad blood between them, it's unsurprising that fans wanted to see a McGregor-Masvidal showdown in the octagon. However, that fight never materialized, and Masvidal retired from the sport after his loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287.
On the other hand, McGregor has been out of action since his ill-fated fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. Given the circumstances, a McGregor vs. Masvidal fight is highly unlikely and will remain a pipe dream for MMA fans.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Jorge Masvidal blamed 'The Notorious' for fumbling a chance to break pay-per-view records and said:
"Conor is a f***ing headcase. He never wanted to fight me. It's not the UFC's fault. It's more him. Definitely would've broke pay-per-view records."
While Jorge Masvidal has no love for Conor McGregor, he isn't a fan of the Irishman's close friend Dillon Danis either. When 'Gamebred' was asked about Danis, he light-heartedly threatened to storm out of the interview and slammed the line of questioning. He said:
"This interview is over... that was like a stupid question."
Jorge Masvidal is set to make his boxing debut early next year
Former UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal will reportedly make his debut in the squared circle early next year. While no opponent has been officially booked, the 38-year-old Miami native has confirmed the news and will be returning to combat sports after a six-month layoff.
As mentioned, the former 'BMF' champion announced his retirement after losing to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287. That marked his fourth straight loss and the end of an illustrious 20-year, 52-fight career. After hanging up his gloves, Masvidal has been focusing on promoting fights through his Gamebred Fighting Championship and iKON FC organizations.
Even after retirement, Jorge Masvidal maintained that he'd be willing to return to combat sports if the conditions were right. In a recent interview with ESPN, 'Gamebred' revealed that it was finally time to return and said:
"No names right now, but I can tell you it’s early next year, and I can tell you somebody is going to get killed.” [ h/t espn.in]
While Masvidal's upcoming boxing debut is undoubtedly exciting news, he's still under UFC contract and will likely need permission from the promotion to be able to box.