Jorge Masvidal is pleased with the new BMF champion.
This past weekend, Max Holloway claimed the honorary title with a spectacular last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. And Masvidal, who won the inaugural BMF title by stopping Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in 2019, couldn’t be happier about it.
“It’s so awesome that Max has it right now,” Masvidal said on The MMA Hour. “I couldn’t think of a better motherf***** to hold it. That’s a BMF. He understands the code of the BMF. One of us here has to be no longer on their feet when this bell rings.
“It’s the greatest f****** thing ever. And after going through that battle, like you said, he’s up worst-case scenario 3-2. He’s f****** clearly winning the fight in my book. Gaethje had some moments, but he was never in control or winning the fight. So for him to do that, that little point — when that dude points at the ground, whoever the f*** you are, become an Olympic track sprinter. Do the opposite. Don’t f****** engage. He’s everybody’s favorite fighter. He’s all fighters’ favorite fighter. I’ve always loved Max.”
But while Masvidal is a fan of Holloway, the same can’t be said for the man Holloway took the belt off of. Gaethje famously beat Masvidal’s American Top Team teammate Dustin Poirier to claim the BMF title, and afterward, Masvidal suggested a matchup between the two if he returns to MMA. Gaethje didn’t take too kindly to Masvidal’s suggestion, and even took a few shots at Masvidal and his losses to Kamaru Usman. And even though Gaethje no longer has the BMF belt, Masvidal is still interested in a fight.
“The guy is like f****** Homer Simpson,” Masvidal said. “I don’t want to talk too much s*** about him because he just got f****** flat-lined. I’m hoping our paths cross in the UFC. This would be a very good comeback fight for me. Easy fight for me. He’s literally just walking forward, eating shots, no head movement, no nothing. It’s definitely a guy I’d love to f****** stick my fist through.”
Despite the harsh words, Masvidal insists that there’s no beef with Gaethje. He simply thinks “The Highlight” would be a good opponent for his return from retirement.
“Nothing personal,” Masvidal continued. “Obviously he seems like he’s a little personal that I make picks and stuff, but I would love to bust f****** Gaethje’s face up. Let him heal from this because he might never come back the same. That was a war that he went through, and on top of that he got f****** executed. So Gaethje can say whatever the f*** he wants, but I’m not giving a f*** about it. But if our paths do cross paths? I’d light that motherf***** up.”
Masvidal retired from MMA in 2023 but ended that retirement in January, though a return to the cage is still uncertain. In the meantime, “Gamebred” has a different fight on the horizon as he faces Nate Diaz in a 10-round boxing match on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
