Jorge Masvidal suffered his second straight loss this past weekend after he suffered the first KO loss of his career in the main event of UFC 261. Kamaru Usman became the first fighter to knock out Jorge Masvidal as he successfully defended the welterweight title with a second-round KO win over Gamebred.
Jorge Masvidal has back-to-back losses to his name now, with his last three victories coming against fighters who are not in the top-10 of the UFC’s welterweight division. However, Nate Diaz is scheduled to take on Leon Edwards, and should he triumph over the British fighter, he will find himself in the top-5 of the division.
Also Read: UFC 261 Salaries: How Much Did Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal Earn?
Masvidal has a lot of exciting options ahead of him. A lot would depend on Kamaru Usman’s next title defense which is reported to be a rematch against Colby Covington. If Usman is able to beat Covington in the rematch, we could be in for a grudge match between Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal next.
Additionally, the winner of Gilbert Burns vs Stephen Thompson could also be the next likely option for Jorge Masvidal. Needless to say, the winner of Leon Edwards and Nate Diaz is also a likely possibility considering Masvidal has a history with both the fighters. While there are a lot of options for Masvidal going forward, it looks like it will be a while before he gets a shot at the title opportunity once again.
Jorge Masvidal vs Stephen Thompson makes the most sense
Stephen Thompson is set to take on Gilbert Burns next, and should the Wonderboy triumph over the Brazilian submission specialist, he could find himself in contention for the welterweight title. However, with Usman and Covington already being talked about, it could be a while before the UFC’s welterweight strap is defended again.
In such a situation, regardless of the outcome of the fight, Masvidal vs Thompson could prove to be an exciting match-up. It could be something new to the audience, with Masvidal staying busy with Usman, Covington, and Diaz for the two years. Additionally, it’s a rematch of huge magnitude between two of the best strikers in the division. Stephen Thompson has already expressed his interest in fighting Masvidal. Wonderboy already has a win over Gamebred, and the rematch promises to equally exciting.
Also Read: What Went Wrong for Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261?