Jorge Masvidal has recently made a statement regarding his future in mixed martial arts. He has disclosed that if he loses his next bout against Gilbert Burns, he will retire from the sport.
However, if he wins, it will provide him with another great opportunity to become a champion. This crucial point in his career comes after losing his last three matches, which could indicate that this is his make-or-break moment.
Masvidal will face Burns, currently ranked number five in the co-headline event at UFC 287 this weekend. Though Burns is a well-rounded athlete and in his prime, Masvidal remains optimistic about his chances.
Prior to UFC 287, Masvidal was forced to take an extended break thanks to the legal issues that ensued once he decided to greet Colby Covington in front of a Miami steakhouse and confront him.
As a result, Masvidal still has a trial pending and Covington was sidelined as well.
Masvidal told Shak MMA:
“I was in a very dark place for like a very, very, very long time. It just showed I gained tremendous amount of weight. I there was numerous things going on in my life that they just were toxic in. For an athlete. They weren’t helpful, detrimental to a certain extent. So I feel like I cut out a lot of that in the last eight, nine months.”
He later added:
“If what I’m talking about is so true and it’s right, then it’ll show on April 8th and the world to see what I’ve been working on. You know, that’s what I love.”
The photos of Masvidal’s belly have sparked a range of comments on Twitter. Some fans have attributed the extra weight to just fat, while others believe that he stands no chance against Gilbert Burns in the upcoming bout.
One user commented, “This all I needed to see to avoid putting my $ on him. This is a retirement and he knows it lmao not hiding it.” Another fan speculated that Masvidal’s large gut might be the reason why he does not want to bet on himself.
Another user compared Masvidal’s physique to that of Michael Chandler’s and joked that the two must be seeing the same doctor. Many fans are also predicting a submission win for Burns, with one user writing, “He’s getting submitted.”