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“Masvidal vs. Diaz, I get way more excited for that fight then Usman vs. Covington.”
Could a non-title bout between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz possibly be bigger than a welterweight title bout between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington?
Now-retired UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping certainly seems to think so, and he’s probably not alone.
Speaking on a recent edition of Believe You Me, podcast host Bisping said he is ‘way more excited’ to see Diaz vs. Masvidal than Usman vs. Covington.
“Yeah for sure,” Bisping said when co-host Luis Gomez expressed his excitement for Diaz vs. Masvidal. “No disrespect. I’m not trying to s**t on Colby Covington. I actually do find myself somewhat entertained by his antics and what he says to be honest, once I got past the initial disdain for him. If you just look at it as a gimmick and bit of schtick — which is what it is by all accounts — then good for him, he’s making headlines.”
“In the Octagon he’s a hell of a fighter, he really is,” he continued. “But I’ve got to say — and that’s why I clarify that point, that it’s not because of any bias — Masvidal vs. Diaz, I get way more excited for that fight then Usman vs. Covington.”
Although there’s a lot of talk and buzz about both fights, neither matchup has been booked. Covington beat former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler earlier this month to solidify his position as the top contender but, according to ‘Chaos’, Usman is stalling negotiations.
As for Diaz vs. Masvidal, it’s still early days. Diaz got the ball rolling when he called out ‘Gamebred’ in his UFC 241 post-fight interview after beating Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision in the co-main event. Masvidal who, along with Diaz is currently one of the most talked about fighters in the division, claims to be in negotiations for the matchup but UFC president Dana White says ‘no progress’ has been made.
With a ton of hype behind both fights, expect the UFC to officially book Diaz vs. Masvidal and Usman vs. Covington in the coming weeks.