UFC Weekly Fighter Playlist: What was Jorge Masvidal's workout song?
Tensions have been mounting for UFC fighters in Jacksonville this week, as UFC 261 promises the return of a packed house - for the first time since the pandemic began.
Fight week can bring intensity into certain MMA gyms, itâs important to get in those last few sessions before the octagon door closes behind you. Some fighters like nothing more than sticking on their favorite song to help them push through the pain.
For the second installment of this series, letâs have a listen to songs featured in UFC fightersâ Instagram stories this past week.
Jorge Masvidal
The Payback - [James Brown]
âCan I get some hits? I need those hits, I need those hits, hit meâ [The Payback]
The owner of the fastest knockout in UFC history, Jorge Masvidal has had plenty of online hits since his knee met Ben Askrenâs face in 2019. In order to keep those hits flowing, âGamebredâ will need a career-defining performance in his rematch with Kamaru Usman at UFC 261.
âThe Paybackâ was a 1974 single released by âThe Godfather of Soulâ James Brown, taken from the 1973 album of the same name. Lyrically, the song is centered around the film exploitation of the black community in the 1970âs by a predominantly white industry - known as blaxploitation.
Musically, it is a funk-tastic masterpiece that effortlessly grooves from bar to bar. This tune is about revenge, and Masvidal needs his âpaybackâ against Usman on Saturday - otherwise itâll be a âpaychequeâ issue in the near future.
Sean OâMalley
Goat Talk (Sugar Sean) - [J.Rob The Chief]
âYou can try pulling me down but I think I could float, yâall ainât on my level itâs a jokeâ [Goat Talk]
Not many UFC fighters have songs written about them, but then again, there are not many UFC fighters like Sean OâMalley. âSugarâ brings an incredible range of skills to the bantamweight division, displayed recently in a one-sided victory over Thomas Almeida at UFC 260.
Even though this song title has not been given the standardized acronym capitalization, please rest assured that J.Rob is referring to the âGreatest Of All Timeâ and not a four-legged mountain climber. It is a surprisingly catchy track, considering its narcissistic origins, and even features a John Frusciante-esque guitar intro.
OâMalley naturally features heavily in the official video, even shadow boxing whilst smoking weed - which may look cool to some, but it is pretty inconsiderate, as most gyms donât have ashtrays.
Dustin Poirier
Kiss from a Rose - [Seal]
âOoh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeahâ [Kiss from a Rose]
Whether itâs the crushing loss of 2014, the redemption victory at UFC 257 earlier this year, or the ongoing Twitter war - one thing is certain - the more Dustin Poirier gets of Conor McGregor, the stranger it feels - yeah.
Originally written [and dismissed] by Seal in 1987, âKiss from a Roseâ was finally released as a single in 1994 and featured in the film âThe NeverEnding Story IIIâ. It was re-released the following year as the second single from the Batman Forever film soundtrack.
The cryptic nature of Sealâs lyrics help to create a specific aura around this song, which manages to be cheesy, melancholic and eerie at the same time. A blockbuster that you always find yourself singing.
There is so much McGregor can tell you, so much McGregor can say - yet he remains Poirierâs power, his pleasure, his pain.