Masvidal has opened the door to a potential fight with McGregor in recent days, and UFC legend Chael Sonnen believes the pair should fight with the BMF belt on the line.
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Conor McGregor talks about Jake Paul, return to fighting and UFC title aspirations
Jorge Masvidal has been backed to put his BMF belt on the line in a UFC clash with returning star Conor McGregor.
“Gamebred” was beaten by No. 1-ranked welterweight Colby Covington at UFC 272 this weekend, which knocked him out of the title shot.
His next option remains unclear but his manager Malki Kawa has opened the door to a potential clash with McGregor by dismissing the current weight gap.
UFC legend Chael Sonnen has encouraged Masvidal to fight McGregor next and believes any event will sell out in 24 hours.
“I believe the biggest fight, if you want to get the world’s attention and really have fun,” Sonnen said on The Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast.
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“If you really want to have fun, take Conor McGregor and put him with Jorge Masvidal. You put the BMF title on the line. You choose the arena. We’ll sell it in 24 hours.'”
McGregor has yet to return to the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier last summer.
He has a number of options available at two weight classes, including 170 pounds, where he could also face a trilogy with Nate Diaz.
The height difference between Masvidal and McGregor has always been an issue when a fight has been discussed, with UFC President Dana White ruling out the fight.
However, the Irishman has expressed his desire to capture the BMF belt to complete his accolades after previously reigning as the promotion’s two-time champion.
Masvidal has previously exchanged fiery words with McGregor calling the star a “dwarf” and claiming his rival has rejected talks to set up a fight in the past.
Both men are unlikely to immediately return to a title picture despite McGregor talking about a shot at 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira.
Who would win if the duo fought for the BMF title – Conor McGregor or Jorge Masvidal? Let us know in the comments section below
McGregor is eyeing a return to action this summer and has returned to training, with Masvidal planning to make his next octagon appearance around the same time.
Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub believes a clash between the two men will generate huge revenue and see a return on the promotion’s investment in their careers.
“Are you telling me Jorge-Conor doesn’t sell gangbusters? And as much as they pay Masvidal, he’s the third highest paid UFC fighter ever,” Schaub said on his YouTube show.
“For the UFC, when they make that investment – I don’t know how much [Jorge Masvidal is] get paid, it has to be a truckload – you’re not fighting the [Belal] Muhammads and the Vicente Luques of the world.
“That doesn’t happen anymore. They need to get a return on their investment. The biggest return they can get is Conor McGregor-[Jorge] Masvidal. So that makes a lot of sense.
“For Masvidal, you know, I think the biggest fight they could do for him is Conor McGregor.”
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