Jorge Masvidal faces the toughest test of his UFC career so far. On Saturday night, Masvidal steps inside the Octagon, winless in his last three fights. Additionally, there has been a lot of talk of Jorge potentially retiring if he loses at UFC 287.
Previously, Jorge Masvidal shot to fame after his viral 5-second flying knee KO of Ben Askren. Following that, Masvidal put on a clinic, bloodying Nate Diaz in a BMF title fight. However, since then, Masvidal has lost his next three to Kamaru Usman (2x) and Colby Covington. Moreover, he faces a certified killer in Gilbert Burns next.
In the UFC 287 Countdown video, Masvidal had a lot to say. “This could be the last one. If I lose, I’m pretty much calling it quits. But a win against Gilbert means that things are headed in the right direction. So if I roll the dice and I do everything right, I’m going for it all.” Even though he believes that he is the best in his division, he also feels that it would be right to walk away if he loses.
Despite heated rivalries with Colby Covington and Leon Edwards, Masvidal could be forced to walk away if he loses. In his last outing, Masvidal lost to Covington and has since vowed to settle the tie and ‘kill’ him inside the cage before he retires. However, that may not be possible due to a restraining order against him by Covington.
Jorge Masvidal is winless against active UFC welterweights since 2013
Just like Masvidal says, UFC 287 is his last chance saloon. Whilst his record has been rough reading, a closer inspection really shows how dire the situation truly is. Currently, Masvidal is without a win against an active UFC welterweight for the past 10 years! As such, Jorge’s last win against an active welterweight was in 2013, when he beat #13 ranked Michael Chiesa in a lightweight bout.
Thus, all of Masvidal’s wins have come against fighters that are no longer active, with the UFC, or both. Despite that, Masvidal finds himself in the co-main event of UFC 287, in his hometown against an opponent ranked much higher than him. If he loses now, Jorge will likely lose a lot of his power as a draw. As Gilbert Burns puts it, “He’s gonna be the new Nate Diaz of the division,” and likely seek out easier and big-money fights to see out his contract.
Speaking on the JRE MMA Show, Masvidal revealed his intentions to retire. According to Jorge, the day he is unable to keep up with the pack in his gym he will know that it is his time. If Jorge’s coaches at American Top Team tell him that his time has come, he will bow out graciously, despite his love for the sport.
Thus, Gamebred would rather walk away from the sport than lose to newcomers and fighters ‘not fit to hold his jockstrap in his prime’. Additionally, Masvidal’s altercation with Kevin Holland could also result in a future fight, which many would surely tune into. However, should he lose to Burns, Jorge might not be willing to entertain that possibility.