Jorge Masvidal is really excited for the UFC to come back to Miami.
On Saturday, He will fight in the co-main event at UFC 287 which makes it special because it’s been 20 years since the UFC held an event there last time. It’s a big deal, considering that Jorge was actually around to watch the last one happen at UFC 42 when he was a kid!
I was at my first UFC event when I turned 17. It was such a special moment for me because I had been watching and studying these fighters since I was 11 or 12 years old. Knowing that soon I would be allowed to make it my career made the experience even more memorable.
After I felt so good, I was able to think about the different moves and techniques that were used, and how quickly we could go. I then looked over to my boy and said “I’m not only good at this, but one day I can do an even better show.” It ended up taking me 20 years to make it happen, but now we are here!
Masvidal is considered the favorite son of the city for UFC 287 this weekend. But unfortunately, he has a really challenging opponent, Gilbert Burns, and all signs are pointing to Masvidal losing his fourth fight in a row. Even though he might not be favored to win, Masvidal still believes that he can give the Miami crowd something special to cheer about.
I don’t mean to disrespect Gilbert, but throughout my career I think that I could always match up well with him. Even if I have had three losses before, one of them was under special circumstances. I only had six days’ notice and had to fly over to Abu Dhabi where I lost 20 pounds. Kamaru still beat me despite the situation – so it’s not like I’m taking away his win.
I’ve been a fighter for 20 years, with over 50 fights and many knockouts. But I have recently gone through two losses in a row, so if another loss happens, people will have to be very careful in their review of my situation. Even though I don’t want to think that this could be my last fight, four losses in a row would mean that my body has experienced a lot of wear and tear over the long journey.
I don’t want to talk about my injuries like others do, even though I have them too. Instead of complaining or telling the world what’s wrong with me, I’m just going to try and do my best on Saturday.
If Masvidal manages to do something really impressive in his next fight, it won’t necessarily lead to a title shot. His opponent, Leon Edwards, wants him for an upcoming match but the president of UFC has already chosen someone else instead – Colby Covington. So, even if he puts on a great show, that still may not get him the “champion” title he is hoping for.
Masvidal is the most important fight for Edwards right now.
Leon and Usman are both great fighters, but they don’t take too many risks when they fight. This means people who watched their fights aren’t that interested, so not many people bought the pay-per-views of them fighting. People just think they’re playing it safe by not going all out or getting into exciting action – which isn’t something anyone would pay for.
A construction worker puts in a lot of hard work during the week, but probably wants some distraction on the weekend and doesn’t want to see two people hugging. So when I step into the picture, win or lose, I’m determined to entertain spectators while they watch my match and make it worth their money. That’s why I sell pay-per-views.
Recently, Masvidal’s reputation has been high and he believes that if he wins this Saturday, then it will land him his third opportunity to win a UFC welterweight title.
Masvidal said everyone wants him to do his typical amazing Miami moves on Gilbert’s face, and that it would be more meaningful than anything else going on. He also described Gilbert as a person who makes cops calls and eats cupcakes. UFC 287 will take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami this Saturday.
