"I knew you wouldn't risk that fight" - Fans speculate Jorge Masvidal 'already ducking' Gilbert Burns match-up per his recent "don't believe anything" tweet
Fans feel Jorge Masvidal is ducking a rumored bout with Gilbert Burns after a recent tweet from the Miami native.
Speculation abounds that a Masvidal versus Burns fight could be booked in a clash that would pit the No.9-ranked welterweight contender against the No.4-ranked fighter at 170 pounds, respectively. Both fighters have indicated interest in this bout, but there hasn't been any movement to lock it in as an official fight.
Masvidal took to his Twitter to make a statement about how people shouldn't believe gossip from others surrounding him.
Don’t believe anything anyone says about me unless you hear it from me
Obviously, several in the MMA community interpreted this to be in relation to his rumored fight with 'Durinho'.
Fans responded in droves, and while there were a few subjects brought up in the Twitter thread, Burns was mentioned a fair bit.
@Goostafah felt that Masvidal was being averse to danger and was avoiding a throwdown with the Brazilian:
"I knew you wouldn't risk that fight"
@GamebredFighter I knew you wouldn't risk that fight
@TheDictatorUFC inferred that 'Gamebred' would prefer to fight a former opponent that he has beaten rather than take on a new challenge:
"Translation: I am scared of getting knocked out by Gilbert. I would rather fight Diaz or Askren again."
@GamebredFighter Translation:
I am scared of getting knocked out by Gilbert. I would rather fight Diaz or Askren again.
Some even went as far as to suggest it was a courage issue on Jorge Masvidal's end, like Twitter user @MmaPlazza who said:
"So you are to scared to fight burns?"
@GamebredFighter So you are to scared to fight burns?
@AguyBr tweeted along the same lines:
"I knew it, u're scared of my homie Gilbert"
@GamebredFighter I knew it, u're scared of my homie Gilbert
Jorge Masvidal and what his next step could be
Masvidal lost a pair of world title fights to Kamaru Usman and most recently fell to No.1-ranked welterweight Colby Covington. At this juncture, the Miami native seems like he'll be outside the title picture for a while, but there are several fights he can take within the top 10.
'Gamebred' is presently held up with ongoing legal proceedings from an alleged attack on Covington following their March pay-per-view main event at UFC 272.
A rematch with Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson would make a great deal of sense right now for Masvidal. 'Wonderboy' has also lost consecutive fights and is currently ranked No.6 in the UFC's welterweight division.
Burns is arguably the highest ranked of Jorge Masvidal's possible options. However, 'Gamebred' has intimated that if Leon Edwards becomes champion at UFC 278, he would like to settle their long-standing beef inside the octagon for the belt.