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Talk around the water cooler was that Jorge Masvidal would get the next shot at trying to dethrone Welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, from the top of the ladder later this year. After all, Masvidal had one of the best years in 2019, earning three straight knockout/technical knockout wins over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz.
But the bout has yet to be signed by either party. While COVID-19 is partly to blame seeing as how UFC put business on hold for a couple months, Masvidal says there’s something else holding up the fight. To hear “Gamebred” tell the tale, Usman is asking UFC for way too much money for his next title fight, a request rejected numerous time by the promotion.
“Kamaru has asked for an insane amount of money. He had one of the worst pay-per-view cards of 2019. I had the best – just by numbers. This is not an opinion. I had the most sold pay-per-views of 2019. So he thinks he’s hit the jackpot and he’s asking crazy money from the UFC. The UFC has told him, ‘No,’ on several occasions,” he said in an interview with ESPN (transcribed by MMA Junkie).
And Colby Covington thought Masvidal was the one that was going to price himself out of the bout.
As a result of the stall in movement toward a title fight, Masvidal says that’s why he has no qualms in running it back with Nate Diaz, whom he defeated at UFC 244 last November to become UFC’s “BMF” champ.
“I don’t know,” Masvidal said. “To tell you the truth and be honest with you, I don’t think Nate has a problem with going at all. I think Nate is ready to go and he’s willing to go. Usman is asking for… you know people in the UFC. Go find out how much money he’s asking for. He’s asking for an absurd amount of money – an absurd amount of money.
“The UFC has said, ‘(Expletive) that. Who are you, man?’ How could you ask for this amount of money guaranteed when you’re not a draw. You’re not a draw. You’re not a household name. Nobody knows you. Even the hardcores in this sport don’t care for you. He doesn’t have a commanding force like, ‘Hey, I could bring 300,000 pay-per-views, blah, blah, blah.’ No, he doesn’t do that.”
The fire between Masvidal and Diaz picked up last week after the two engaged in a back-and-forth Twitter spat, which ultimately resulted in both men calling for a rematch. Usman, meanwhile, now has his sights set on Conor McGregor.