Jorge Masvidal’s run toward the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight title was temporarily derailed by Demian Maia, who edged out “Gamebred” at UFC 211 earlier this month, earning a split decision in Dallas, Texas (video highlights here).
So what does getting so close to the big dance, only to get the rug pulled from under you feel like?
“Oh man, it burns like an STD. I wouldn’t know, but I’ve heard,” joked Masvidal during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour. “Every time I wake up to piss, it burns, bro. And I’m not talking like an STD, I’m talking about real life because I hate losing,” he said.
Still, Masvidal says he’d like to get a rematch with Maia down the road because he feels he should’ve gotten the nod in “Big D.”
“I want to remind everyone that I asked for this fight because this was the toughest fight, just like ‘Cowboy,’ it was one of the toughest fights I could make for 170. It was a fight where I could prove the most. It didn’t go my way 100 percent, but, I can’t wait to do it again, me and Maia are going to have to do it again,” he said.
“We both had each other in trouble at times, but it was small mistakes I made on my part. If I had tweaked this and that, instead of being split it could have been a unanimous. I’m eager to improve on those mistakes. If we’re talking about damage, yeah, I feel I won the fight,” he declared.
“But, control is a big part of the game, so the people that say, ‘You won, you got ripped off,’ and things like that, I do understand Demian’s side, you can’t ask that dude to become a striker all of a sudden when he hasn’t been. He’s always been who he is you know? He can’t change over night and a big part of the game is control and I didn’t do well in that department as I usually do.”
As for who he’d like to face next, Masvidal eyes a showdown against Stephen Thompson, since he’s only taking on the toughest challenges — not up-and-comers and former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) champions.
“I think he is the next highest ranked opponent that I can get my hands on. Like I said at the beginning of it when it’s easy money, I only want the toughest opponents available to me,” said Masvidal. “Don’t let the slogan throw you off. I only want the highest-ranked dudes, the toughest fights. That’s all I ever wanted since coming to UFC. So all the Ultimate Fighter winners, the up-and-coming phenoms, the 9-0 guy, is not what I am looking for right now, you know? I’m proven animal and I’m only going to fight dude’s that are at the highest in the game, high up on the food chain. I’m trying to get the biggest fights, always. If not the biggest, the toughest,” he concluded.
As for when Masvidal plans on returning, he’s lobbying for a chance to get on the UFC 214 pay-per-view (PPV) card on July 29, 2017, in Anaheim, California, which is set to feature a Light Heavyweight title fight rematch between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.
And who doesn’t want in on that card?
Whether or not “Wonderboy’s” knee is fully healed by then remains to be seen. If not, maybe Neil Magny has gotten over his own medical condition.