Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal has had enough of retirement. The Miami native is itching to get back into the octagon, and who better than Michael Chandler as his first opponent? After a string of high-profile losses, both Masvidal and Chandler are on the same boat. There’s no immediate title shot in their future, but given their entertaining personalities and aggressive fighting style, they could be a great payday for both fighters.
The fight is far from official and there has been no word from either the UFC or Uncle Dana but both Masvidal and Chandler have made it clear that they’re ready to clash in April when ‘Gamebred’ returns to the octagon.
The idea for the fight came from a fan who asked Chandler to move on from Conor McGregor and look for something more realistic, like Masvidal. Chandler responded by asking ‘Gamebred’ if he was cool with it. Masvidal was quick to respond.
Say word and it’s go April Miami
— Jorge Masvidal (@GamebredFighter) December 3, 2024
Masvidal has already announced his return to the octagon in his hometown of Miami. And after the series of losses he’s had, both inside the ring and outside with the McGregor fight looking all but abandoned, Chandler wouldn’t mind the sunny beaches of Florida.
As far as fans are concerned, this is guaranteed to be a wild brawl. That’s the best-case scenario. Masvidal has next to no ground game. He is a pure striker, through and through, and loves to stand and trade. Chandler, on the other hand, is a grappler who’s fallen in love with striking.
He will do what he has always done- come out of the gate and start swinging. The only issue with that approach is how long he can sustain it. While it used to be five rounds of walking into punches for ‘Iron’, the Oliveira fight showed that he doesn’t necessarily have the same kind of gas tank anymore.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Without the UFC signing off on it, all we know is that ‘Gamebred‘ will be fighting on the Miami card in April, come what may.
Masvidal wants to make a statement
For Masvidal, this return is not just about getting back into the cage, it’s about making a statement. After suffering 4 losses back to back and retiring from the sport, the UFC veteran is ready to prove he still belongs at the top of the division.
He was defeated twice by Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title, the last of which saw him being on the receiving end of a spectacular KO in April 2021.
Masvidal’s last fight inside the octagon was against Colby Covington, which saw him get dominated for the entirety of the fight. Frustrated at being taken down at will, Masvidal then ended up attacking Covington at a steakhouse after the fight and got arrested for it.
Following this, he called it a day and tested his luck against Nate Diaz in boxing, only to face another defeat.
So, with this return, Masvidal will look to make a statement that he still has it, that the 5-second KO of Ben Askren wasn’t just a flash in the pan and he can still get in the octagon and put on a great show.
