“Next Year”: Jorge Masvidal Teases UFC Return After Revealing White House Card Fallout
The former welterweight star reveals he had multiple UFC offers before the White House card plans changed, and hints at a return next year.
Jorge Masvidal left the UFC in 2023 after four consecutive losses, including two title fights against Kamaru Usman.
His last fight was against Gilbert Burns, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss. However, the former BMF champion isn’t done with the UFC.
Jorge Masvidal Talks About a UFC Return
During a live stream with former interim WBO champion Arnold Barboz Jr., Jorge Masvidal revealed he is still on good terms with the UFC.
Masvidal stated he had almost booked a fight in Miami before being added to the June UFC Freedom 250 card. Unfortunately, those fights never came to fruition. But Masvidal still has strong hopes.
“When the White House card came around, they were like, “You wanna do it?” and I said f-ck yeah, and they said, “We want you to fight in Miami; win or lose, we want you on the White House…” Masvidal said.
Revealing the timeline of his return, the former UFC welterweight said, “I’ve been talking; I think I’m gonna fight next year.”
Jorge Masvidal is arguably one of the most famous American fighters in MMA, having delivered several memorable performances inside the UFC Octagon, including his record-setting five-second knockout of Ben Askren.
However, in his last UFC fight against Gilbert Burns, the 41-year-old appeared visibly fatigued and far removed from his prime. Given that performance, it remains to be seen whether a return to the Octagon would work in his favor.
Who Can Masvidal Fight on His Return?
If Jorge Masvidal returns to the UFC, a fight against former champion Leon Edwards could be an interesting matchup. The two fighters have a history of bad blood.
In 2019, during a UFC event in London, Masvidal landed a three-punch combination on Edwards, coining the now-famous phrase “three-piece and a soda.”
The pair were booked to fight in 2021, but Masvidal was forced to withdraw due to an injury. If the matchup finally comes together, their long-standing rivalry could be settled inside the cage.
Edwards is currently on a three-fight losing streak, including a title-fight defeat to Belal Muhammad in 2024.
A fight against Masvidal would not only be a fan-favorite matchup but could also allow Edwards to get back on track in his pursuit of another title shot.
