Jorge Masvidal has been competeing in MMA professionally since 2003 and has a record of 35 wins, 16 losses, and 0 draws in his MMA career. He is known for his striking ability and his tendency to finish by knockout.
Masvidal has competed in multiple weight classes during his career, including lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight. He has faced some of the biggest names in the sport, including Kamaru Usman, Nate Diaz, and Ben Askren.
In 2019, Masvidal set the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history with a flying knee that finished his opponent in just 5 seconds. He is considered one of the most exciting guys in the UFC and has a large fan base. Which is why it was surprising to see him retire even though he was on a losing streak.
Jorge Masvidal has not ruled out a possible comeback to mixed martial arts.
Masvidal recently announced his retirement from mixed martial arts after losing against Gilbert Burns, extending his losing streak to four. Both fans and experts started wondering if Masvidal would ever compete again.
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Masvidal revealed that he’s not closing the door on a potential return to the octagon. The Miami native expressed his love for the sport, stating that he has been doing it since he was eleven or twelve years old.
He stated: “I love this sport so much, I love it so much. I cried for many days after I retired. Not because I’m so hurt, just because I love this sport. Since eleven, twelve years old, this is all I did… It’s so much love and passion in my heart, so I’ll never say that I’ll never come back, you know, because I love this sport so much…”
Masvidal’s last win was against Nate Diaz in November 2019. He has since lost four consecutive bouts against- Kamaru Usman twice, Colby Covington, and Burns.
Masvidal has always been consistent in wanting to retire if he couldn’t compete for a UFC title. Even though Masvidal has only suffered defeats at the hands of the best 170-pounders in the UFC, he has noticed some declines in his abilities.
Masvidal believes that he still has a lot to offer the sport. While his skills have declined slightly as he has gotten older, he is still fast, explosive, and has good endurance. Masvidal’s love for the sport remains, and he has not ruled out a potential comeback.
Masvidal provided the following explanation for his retirement: “Here’s the honest truth. I’m still fast, I’m still explosive, I have a good endurance, I know so much more about the sport then when I started, but there’s just a couple things as you get older, they slow down…”
“I’ve been feeling from like 34 to like 37 that in that department, and solely in that department, my reflexes and reaction time took a big dip. It’s not where it used to be even when I was 35.”
Masvidal then added: “My heart, body, mind, soul, all of it wants to do it, but do I now want to be like a stepping stone because I don’t have that word. I see the punches and I react right away and I know exactly what you’re gonna do and where you’re gonna be next, so it’s slightly slowed up in the smallest of ways.”
Regardless of whether he decides to compete again or not, Masvidal is still very much involved in the combat sports world. He has done an excellent job promoting events, including the highly anticipated Gamebred FC 4.