UFC 287 has been a rollercoaster ride. With some big finishes and massive results, we saw one of the biggest names in the welterweight division walk away from the sport. Following his decision loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287, Jorge Masvidal announced his retirement from the sport.
Coming into the fight, there were a lot of speculations regarding Jorge retiring. Now 0-4 in his last four fights, fans and Masvidal himself recognized that his time at the top was over. However, Masvidal likely saw this coming and stated that he would walk away from the sport if he lost to Burns.
On the night, Masvidal put up a solid fight landing 77 total strikes to Burns’ 72. However, Burns was able to take control of the fight, scoring 4 takedowns and securing close to 6 minutes of control time. Thus, it was never any doubt that Gilbert was going to win the fight. After the fight, Masvidal got a chance to say his piece on the mic.
As many expected, Jorge announced his decision to walk away from the sport. According to him, the UFC had made him a multi-millionaire and it was the right time for him to walk away from the sport. Previously, Masvidal had mentioned that he was not willing to sustain any more unnecessary damage or be a stepping stone for upcoming fighters.
Jorge Masvidal praises Donald Trump in post-fight speech
Taking the mic, Jorge apologized to the crowd which included his friends and his family. Explaining that he does not ‘feel the same way’ anymore, Masvidal gives his thanks as he takes his gloves off to leave them in the cage. Notably, at the end of his speech, Masvidal took the mic for a quick shoutout to Donald Trump, who happened to be in the arena to watch the fights.
“Also want to say, greatest president in the history of the world sitting right there. I love that guy (Donald Trump). We also got the greatest governor of all time here in Florida. Let’s keep Florida free, a red state, and let’s take that you-know-who, let’s go Brandon get a mothe*****r out of power and replace him”. Following that, Gamebred started the “Let’s Go Brandon” chant, whilst the audience joined in.
As such, Masvidal has been a longtime supporter of Donald Trump. The former President of the United States has been stuck in his own controversy recently but was surprisingly present for the event on Saturday night. Along with Trump, Masvidal also showed his support for Governor Ron DeSantis. Notably, the “Let’s Go Brandon” slogan is a Republican slogan used to troll President Joe Biden.
Following his retirement from the sport, Masvidal still has multiple avenues that he can explore. Since he is already a promoter with his Gamebred Boxing, he can continue doing that or chase his political ambitions. A reputable and renowned figure in Miami, Masvidal could surely be a voice of the people if he wanted to. What will Jorge take to next? Only time will tell.
