Getty Jorge Masvidal
Former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal is still firmly in the crosshairs of 170-pound champion Leon Edwards.
There’s been bad blood between the two since they got into a physical altercation in March 2019 after fighting during a UFC London event at the O2 Arena. They didn’t compete inside the Octagon against each other, however.
Around three years before dethroning Kamaru Usman to capture the belt, Edwards fought Gunnar Nelson in the night’s co-main event. “Rocky” won the fight via split decision. Masvidal headlined the UFC Fight Night event opposite Darren Till, and he knocked out the scouser in the second round.
While Masvidal was backstage being interviewed by ESPN, Edwards emerged into the room and the two got into it verbally. A few seconds later, Masvidal approached Edwards and started throwing punches until they were separated. “Gamebred” and Edwards have never settled their beef in a sanctioned fistfight, and even though Rocky has summited the welterweight mountain, he can’t “let go” of what happened that night.
“Yeah, I don’t like him,” Edwards said in an interview with Breakfast Club. “We had a scuffle backstage, we threw a few shots. That was in London as well, my hometown. But, they took him and moved him and hid him, and [he] fled my country. I haven’t seen him since — that was like three years ago. Apart from that, everyone else, soon as you fight, backstage is all, ‘Good luck in your life, your family, your career.’ It’s all love.”
“I can’t let it go,” Edwards continued. “It’s not let go and that was like three years ago. Yeah, it’s not let go. I like have to get it. I have to get it back either in the Octagon or on the street.
Watch the infamous incident featuring Edwarda and Masvidal below via the embedded YouTube video:
The Scuffle Happened During Masvidal’s Resurgence Year
2019 is arguably the most important year of Masvidal’s professional mixed martial arts life. He entered the UFC London event after taking over a year off from the sport, returning with a new look and attitude toward his career.
Up to that point, Masvidal was a UFC veteran who had earned big wins, but also suffered losses, and was riding a two-fight losing streak courtesy of welterweight contenders. He also wasn’t well known by the masses and casual fanbase.
Well, after scoring the KO over Till and subsequently the promotion’s fast-ever knockout when he starched Ben Askren with a flying knee in July of that year, Masvidal’s star power skyrocketed. In November, Masvidal found himself headlining an event at Madison Square Garden against Nate Diaz for the UFC’s “Baddest Motherf*****” ceremonial title. Masvidal won it via doctor’s stoppage.
Masvidal’s popularity once again hit new heights, firmly establishing himself as one of the sport’s biggest names.
Masvidal Called for a Fight With Edwards After the Englishman Knocked Out Usman
Since his resurgence year, Masvidal fought twice for the welterweight belt against Kamaru Usman, however he lost both fights to “The Nigerian Nightmare.” They battled at UFC 251 in July 2020 and Usman was victorious via unanimous decision.
Masvidal then rematched Usman at UFC 261 in April 202 and was knocked out in the second round.
Gamebred’s next fight took place in March at UFC 272 against Colby Covington, but Masvidal lost the affair by unanimous decision. After Edwards took the belt from Usman in August at UFC 278, Masvidal began his campaign to be Rocky’s first title defense.
It appears the promotion is heavily leaning toward putting on a rematch between Edwards and Usman in early 2023, however.