After a busy 2019, Jorge Masvidal has put himself in position to possibly challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title in 2020. But if given the choice to fight the current champion or UFC superstar Conor McGregor, Masvidal told ESPN he would choose the latter match.
"I know my management without a doubt would say, and I would also say, the Conor fight," Masvidal told ESPN's Ariel Helwani.
"We'll go get the money, because the Conor fight is not always going to be there. [Usman] is always going to be there. Somebody is always going to have that belt."
Masvidal is currently riding a three-fight win streak with KOs over Darren Till and Ben Askren. In November, he defeated Nate Diaz by TKO to become the UFC's "baddest motherf---er." He's hoping to parlay his recent success into more lucrative fights and Conor McGregor presents the best opportunity for a big pay day.
"[McGregor] is a two-time division champion, he has an impressive record and he comes to fight, so in that aspect, yes [I want that fight]," Masvidal said.
"And we're both going to sell out wherever we fight and there's going to be violence. But if the dude doesn't want to fight, I'm not a bully, so go do your thing. If he doesn't want this, I don't give a f--- then. You want to fight, you don't want to fight, but don't flirt with me. You want it or you don't. Leave me alone if you don't."
McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, is returning to the Octagon for the first time since his 2018 lightweight title loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov. In his time away from the Octagon, McGregor has been involved in multiple incidents involving law enforcement. He'll finally make his return on at UFC 246 Saturday, January 18 in a highly anticipated welterweight bout against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.
Masvidal told Helwani that he will most likely be in attendance for the fight in Las Vegas.
"Yeah, why not, if he's a future opponent, why not study him in a live format, see little things that maybe on the camera are not apparent," Masvidal said.
"There's different things I can definitely pick up in the real world."
McGregor has fought twice in the welterweight division, losing by submission to Nate Diaz in March 2016 and winning a rematch by decision in August 2016.
In 2019, McGregor responded to ESPN's list of potential superfights by challenging everyone on it. Masvidal
responded by telling him to "put your money where your mouth is." McGregor has also mentioned the possibility of going after the welterweight title, to which Masvidal also addressed on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show.
"And he's talking about he wants the title fight with Usman, no, at [170]? I'm [in] the way," Masvidal said.
"I decide when Usman will fight, who he will fight, all of that. Everybody knows that. He might be the one with the f---ing belt, but I'm the one calling the shots."