Overview
- This week Jorge Masvidal told MMA Junkie that negotiations with the UFC are active and that “the numbers are getting closer,” signaling a possible return later this year or early next year.
- Masvidal named Leon Edwards as the opponent he would most like to face to “close that chapter,” reviving the 2019 London backstage altercation that has long driven fan interest.
- No fight is signed or announced and Masvidal says he is waiting for the right opponent and payday before committing to a bout in the Octagon.
- Analysts and outlets note practical hurdles to a matchup, citing Masvidal’s age, his 2023 loss to Gilbert Burns, a 2025 boxing defeat to Nate Diaz, and his prior conditional UFC release and pay disputes.
- If the fight moves forward it would be a commercially attractive ‘money fight’ that could boost ticket and broadcast interest, but it would also force the UFC to weigh legacy value against competitive matchmaking for the welterweight division.