Jorge Masvidal claims Kamaru Usman is highballing the UFC.
Usman is the reigning UFC welterweight champion. Many expected to see Usman put his 170-pound gold on the line against Masvidal this July. While that’s still a possibility, the chances of it happening might be dwindling. UFC president Dana White has said there could be other plans for Masvidal and “Gamebred” isn’t opposed to a rematch with Nate Diaz.
Masvidal Says Usman’s Asking Price Is ‘Absurd’
In an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Masvidal claimed that the holdup with the Usman fight has to do with money. He claims that Usman is asking for a payday he doesn’t deserve (h/t MMAJunkie).
“I don’t know,” Masvidal said. “To tell you the truth and be honest with you, I don’t think Nate has a problem with going at all. I think Nate is ready to go and he’s willing to go. Usman is asking for – you know people in the UFC. Go find out how much money he’s asking for. He’s asking for an absurd amount of money – an absurd amount of money.”
Masvidal went on to say that Usman doesn’t have the leverage to request a significant boost in pay. “Gamebred” pointed out that Usman is an unproven draw and needs someone like him to move the needle.
Usman last fought back in Dec. 2019. He went one-on-one with Colby Covington. This was the first time “The Nigerian Nightmare” put his UFC welterweight gold on the line. It was a successful title defense as Usman earned the fifth-round TKO victory.
As for Masvidal, his last appearance inside the Octagon was back in Nov. 2019. He defeated Nate Diaz via doctor’s stoppage to capture the one-time-only BMF championship. The reason “Gamebred” is intrigued by a rematch is that his first bout with Diaz did big business and some felt the cuts on Diaz’s face didn’t warrant a stoppage.
