Former UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal has recently confirmed that he is in talks to return to the Octagon after a year and a half hiatus. “Gambred” retired from the sport in 2023 after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287. Now Masvidal is eyeing a comeback fight against lightweight contender Michael Chandler.
Even though Masvidal retired from MMA, he wasn’t completely away from combat sports. He moved to boxing earlier this year but lost to Nate Diaz via split decision. Now he is eager to return to UFC and is aiming for a potential matchup by the end of the year, possibly in Las Vegas in December or during the Super Bowl weekend in 2024.
Masvidal wants to fight Chandler
In several interviews, Jorge Masvidal has expressed his disappointment over Chandler’s stalled fight talks with Conor McGregor, who has been repeatedly delaying his UFC return. “Gambred” criticized the Irishman’s hesitation and said he is ready to face Chandler. Masvidal confidently states that his return could happen this year or early next year. “I’ll knock Michael Chandler dead,” said Masvidal.
However, UFC insiders such as Daniel Cormier have questioned the significance of Masvidal’s return. Cormier pointed out that Masvidal had a tremendous rise in 2019, but the fighter has struggled a lot since then, losing four straight bouts in the UFC. Cormier wonders if the fans still bother about Masvidal’s return, given that his prime days seem to be over.
Masvidal was disappointed with his boxing bout outcome
Despite the questions surrounding his return, Jorge remains determined. The fight with Chandler, if it happens, would be a high-profile bout that could rejuvenate Masvidal’s UFC career. For now, fans can only wait for official confirmation from the UFC as the talks continue. Jorge had a long ambition to compete in boxing and he finally tested himself in the ring. He got the opportunity in the form of a rematch against Nate Diaz, whom Masvidal defeated in 2019 for the BMF title.
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Jorge landed several powerful shots throughout the 10-round contest, but despite the impressive performance, he lost by majority decision. Masvidal was quick to point out bias in the judges scoring as the fight took place in Diaz’s hometown, California. He claimed that the judging was influenced by Diaz’s camp. Masvidal also revealed that his team had proposed a neutral panel of judges, but Diaz’s camp insisted on using only California-based officials.
