Most UFC fighters want a title shot more than anything. Winning the belt is a chance to change your life. First of all, a champion demands a bigger fight purse than regular fighters. Then they can attract better sponsors and even wider media attention. It’s all about the money.
But there’s one way you can make even more money all at once. Red panty night. Conor McGregor is still the UFC’s biggest star. He will fight Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246. In short, Masvidal will be watching this one with massive interest.
He hopes that the UFC will book this one. Would it be the right fight for McGregor against another former lightweight? Who knows what is going through the Irishman’s mind. But the numbers show that this is the fight to make.
Relaxed
The BMF champion is relaxed about his options. First of all, he’s going to wait and see if McGregor beats Cerrone. Then he’ll listen to the Irishman’s callout. If he’s on the receiving end, then he’ll be ready to answer. But Usman is next in line. The Nigerian-born welterweight champion isn’t a fan-favorite but he’s got the belt.
I won’t say [fighting Usman is] not the right move,” Masvidal said. “Usman’s a fight, Conor’s obviously flirted with the idea of fighting me. If me and Conor go in the Octagon, what happens? It’s one of the biggest fights in history.”
Biggest Fight
Masvidal is willing to go by the numbers too. He says it’s clear that statistically the two of them combined would be the biggest possible fight in the UFC. That’s probably true with the BMF title up for grabs. However, might a Khabib rematch be even bigger? He said:
“Just by math, proven by what Conor’s been doing, the last couple of fights that I’ve had, the engagement, the pay-per-views, I broke records with ESPN. So obviously, it’s a formula for success. Somebody will always have the belt at 170 pounds, so it doesn’t really matter if it’s Kamaru or not. Conor’s the bigger fight. If Conor doesn’t do his job, or Conor doesn’t want to fight after this fight, we’re going to take Usman’s head off.”
Break His Face
‘Gamebred’ summed up his feelings in a UFC 246 media scrum. Speaking in Las Vegas, the BMF Champion explained that it’s all about the money at this stage of his career. We respect his honesty. In short, that’s why he’d prefer a McGregor clash to a Usman title fight.
“It’s a money thing, at first,” Masvidal said. “But if I’m getting paid in food for the both of them for some reason and it’s the same food, I like Conor – what he does in the ring. I like all the eyeballs he’s brought to the sport. I like him more as a person.
“Usman, I can’t stand him. I can’t stand that dude. I’ll be honest with you. I’ll pick Usman all day, but it’s business, right? Especially for me. I pick Conor in real life. If it’s all the same potatoes and tomatoes, I’ll break (Usman’s) (expletive) face and in a violent way. At first, I came at him with a lot of respect and I just want to shut his mouth up. That’s it.”
