Jorge Masvidal may have lost in his bid to capture the UFC welterweight title, but he's still the baddest motherf--ker and that's a reputation the UFC would like him to defend. UFC president reportedly told Dana White that the promotion is currently seeking a rematch between the Miami native and Nate Diaz.
The two fighters previously met last November in the main event of UFC 244 for the inaugural BMF Championship. Masvidal (35-14) defeated Diaz (20-12) via TKO when the ringside physician called an end to the bout after the third round due to bad cut on Diaz's eye. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise exciting fight.
Masvidal went on to face Kamaru Usman for the welterweight champion at UFC 251 last month in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Masvidal accepted the fight on short notice after Usman's original opponent, Gilbert Burns, was forced to withdraw due to a positive COVID-19 test. Masvidal went the distance with the champion but ultimately lost via unanimous decision.
With Burns likely getting the next shot at Usman for the title, Masvidal can potentially earn a huge payday while working his way back into contention with a fight against Diaz. Both sides are reportedly interested in the rematch with TMZ reporting a target date of December 12 at UFC 256.
However, as ESPN's Ariel Helwani reports, that would be the same night as Usman-Burns and Amanda Nunes-Megan Anderson. According to ESPN's sources, a rematch between Masvidal and Diaz would likely be for the January pay per view.
Diaz fought twice in 2019, beating Anthony Pettis in August and losing to Masvidal in November. He has not fought since.