Can’t wait to see what this one looks like.
UFC 244 just got one hell of a main event. Nate Diaz will continue his comeback against a man who has recorded two of the scariest knock-outs of 2019.
Diaz has been confirmed as the headline act at UFC 244, at Madison Square Garden in November, against fellow welterweight Jorge Masvidal.
Already on the card is a fascinating middleweight debut for Darren Till, against Kelvin Gastelum, while light heavyweights Corey Anderson and Johnny Walker will also face off.
The main event is not for a specific divisional title but UFC president Dana White has confirmed that a special belt will be commissioned and their will be five rounds, like a title fight.
After he defeated Anthony Pettis, last month, Diaz declared himself the holder of the ‘BMF’ [Baddest Motherf***er] belt. He proclaimed:
“With this belt, I want to defend it against… Jorge Masvidal had a good last fight. Good last fight. All respect to the man, but there ain’t no gangsters in this game anymore. There ain’t nobody who does it right but me and him.
“So I know my man’s a gangster, but he ain’t no West Coast gangster.”
Masvidal was in the crowd for that fight and, a day later, officially and gleefully accepted the call-out. Following UFC 242, in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, White spoke about what is a bold yet unusual move for the promotion.
“After he beat Pettis, he said, ‘This [Masvidal bout] is a fight to see who’s the baddest motherf***er in this game. That’s what this championship is’.
“I was like, ‘Alright, I’m in’.
“It’s a one and done [situation]. Whoever wins, wins the belt and claims the title of BMF.”
The UFC prefer to hold title fights for their pay-per-view events so it looks as though they have used some creative licence to get this one done.
It will be interesting to see what Conor McGregor makes of this, especially as his summer comeback plans stalled when the UFC refused to make bouts against ‘The Notorious’ and either Pettis, Donald Cerrone or Justin Gaethje a main event.
