Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The UFC made major waves on Saturday afternoon leading up to UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi by announcing Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal as the headliners for their big UFC 244 event in New York City. That’s right: Nate and Jorge for five rounds, and since having belts at the top of pay-per-views is so important, UFC president Dana White confirmed he’d be making an honorary Bad Motherf**ker belt for the occasion.
It’s a big deal that the UFC is headlining a major card without a real title on the line. They rarely do it and even tried to force Conor McGregor back into a co-main spot because that’s just how rigid they are about how their cards are put together. It took Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington annoying the promotion during negotiations for a welterweight title fight for them to turn to Diaz and Masvidal, but we’re super excited they did. And so is UFC commentator / podcaster extraordinaire Joe Rogan.
Who is the BMF!?
We’re about to find out! @GamebredFighter meets @NateDiaz209 in the main event at MSG! #UFC244 pic.twitter.com/wgyjnt49Za
— UFC (@ufc) September 7, 2019
”I got so hyped, when I saw that on my Instagram I threw my arms up in the air like someone got knocked out,” Rogan said during his UFC 242 Fight Companion podcast. “I was like ‘Yeeeeeaaaah!’ It’s worth money. I’ve said that I think Nate Diaz is one of the biggest superstars in the game, right up there with anybody.”
He also touched on the unusual way the fight came together.
”I guess there was some negotiations or something because Dana White refuted it,” he said, referencing the UFC president’s recent comments on Diaz. “‘Well I don’t think Nate is in our long term plans and Nate fights once every three years.’ I’m like pffffft don’t say that! It was [White playing the game], I’m sure. And also letting him know he’s got other plans, there’s other s**t they can do. I’m just excited.”
”But I want Usman vs. Colby. That’s the fight to make!”
There’s no doubt that Joe Rogan is a huge Diaz fan, but the man he talked up during the Fight Companion podcast was Jorge Masvidal.
”He’s so good and so clever, that’s one of the best things to say about Masvidal,” Rogan said. “And the thing is, people don’t necessarily associate him with knockout power for some reason, but the guy knocked out Yves Edwards with a head kick. Knocked out Darren Till, Donald Cerrone. He knocked out Ben Askren and put him in another dimension with a flying knee. World record fastest knockout.”
“It’s weird that people don’t associate Masvidal as a knockout artist. Because he doesn’t necessarily have the most power, but he’s so good and so calculating.”
UFC 244 goes down November 2nd from Madison Square Garden in New York City.