Masvidal closes in on UFC return with Leon Edwards rivalry fight in his sights

Jorge Masvidal is edging closer to a UFC comeback, with the former BMF champion revealing that financial negotiations with the promotion are advancing and a fight announcement could arrive in the near future.

“I’ve been talking to the UFC,” Masvidal told MMA Junkie. “Could be this year, could be early next year. We’ve been talking for a little bit and the numbers are getting closer and closer and better and better. So, there might be some big news coming soon… Once we get the right name and the right number attached to that, you’ll see your boy right back here at the T-Mobile Arena.”

Masvidal has made clear that Leon Edwards is his preferred opponent for the return. The two have unfinished business stretching back to 2019, when a backstage confrontation in London turned physical. Edwards had just called Masvidal out during a post-fight interview after defeating Darren Till, and Masvidal responded by landing a four-punch combination that left “Rocky” bloodied. “Leon is definitely somebody that I would like to get back in with and just close that chapter out,” Masvidal said.

“Gamebred” remains one of the UFC’s most recognisable names despite never winning a world title. His five-second flying knee knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July 2019 still stands as the fastest finish in UFC history, and his BMF title bout against Nate Diaz at Madison Square Garden later that year cemented his status as a fan favourite.

Masvidal has not competed in the UFC since a welterweight title fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 261 in April 2021, a contest he lost by second-round TKO. Whether a deal materialises before the end of this year or slips into early next, the fighter’s message is consistent: the right opponent and the right money will bring him back.