Masvidal explains why it's personal

Masvidal went on a very public campaign asking for a fight with Cerrone following his first round TKO win over Jake Ellenberger in December.  It will be the second fight in a row where Masvidal has faced a top 15 opponent, which is something he’s been clamoring to receive since moving to the welterweight division.

“It’s just a dude with a number by (his name) is what I’ve been gunning for. I’ve had so many close calls of getting top 10 dudes, both of us signing bout agreements and somehow the fight doesn’t go down,” Masvidal lamented when speaking to the Fight Society podcast. “That’s happened four times that I’ve signed a bout agreement against a top 10 dude.

 

“They sign the bout agreement, they put out the posters, the UFC announces the fight coming soon, gives us the date, the arena, buy the tickets online — for some reason the fight doesn’t come to fruition. It’s (expletive) nuts.”

“I feel like I’m going to break his face. I’m telling you I have a lot of ill will towards him for different reasons,” Masvidal explained. “He’s taken literally food from my plate on two different occasions of those fights that got pulled from me. They pulled fighters from me who were already signed and ready to fight me and I was ready to fight them and they give it to him.

“I know it’s not him intentionally doing that but somebody’s got to pay. That somebody’s name is “Cowboy”. He’s got to pay with interest.”

Masvidal’s agitation with Cerrone comes one fight after “Cowboy” faced similar opposition from Matt Brown leading into their matchup at UFC 206.

Cerrone is best known as a jovial competitor during fight week, opting for smiles, handshakes and hugs rather than intense stare downs and getting into a verbal altercations with his opponents. Brown refused to play that game and instead gave Cerrone a stoic response every time the two of them engaged in any kind of pre-fight promotion.

Masvidal has no plans to joke around with “Cowboy” in the lead up to their co-main event fight either, but even if he’s acts like his best friend it won’t change the way he’s going to fight the No. 5 ranked welterweight once they step into the cage together.

“Me and “Cowboy” have met a couple times and we trained together at Albuquerque a long time ago when I was in Japan and I think he was in WEC. So he knows who I am. I could be all smiles, hugging him up, giving him kisses on the cheek, I’m still going to beat his ass,” Masvidal said. “Or I could be the not so nice guy and I’m still going to beat his ass. He knows it.”

More here: 

 

http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/jorge-masvidal-explains-his-disdain-for-donald-cowboy-cerrone-012517

Masvidal has been one of the most under the radar dudes for a long time.


Tough fight for anyone.

I got to watch the elenberger fight. Can't remember this one. I knew ellenberger was looking like a new man ever since training with raphael Cordio at kings. Interdasting

brahmabull81 - 
big daddy yum yums - Has Jorge ever been finished via (t)ko.?

try google you fucking moron

Don't a dick :P
He lost to Rodrigo Damm via tko back in 08

I'm laying a little something down on Jorge for this one. Dude is underrated in my book

It wouldn't be an upset to see Jorge win. But I still think Cowboy has the tools to win this one. 

Let's go Masvidal. Bring out that Kimbo street fight into the cage.

Gamebred. Def a fan.

brahmabull81 -
big daddy yum yums - Has Jorge ever been finished via (t)ko.?

try google you fucking moron
You mad at life?

Someone might want to explain the definition of "personal" to the author.

None of the reasons Masvidal explained have anything to do with Cerrone as a person, just his position and place in the rankings. He even states "...it’s not him intentionally doing that but somebody’s got to pay." So,, his reasons are NOT personal.

This is the problem with journalism in general, and specifically MMA "journalism" if such a thing exists. Shitty, sensational, and inaccurate headlines, calling them journalists when they are really bloggers, little to no editor presence, etc.

Anyhow, style-wise this makes for such a fantastic fight. Looking forward to this one and can't imagine it not being a FOTY candidate. I think Cerrone pulls it off. Not sure if Masvidal can last three rounds and since he doesn't really finish fights he'll have Cerrone in front of him until the bell or Cerrone finishes him.

Love this matchup. 

This is the true test for cowboy. He keeps surprising us every time but this is the fight that we will really see what he's made of and if he's really as good as he's looked these last few fights at ww.

hes always had trouble with good boxers but as of recently his boxing has looked solid and he's really gotten good at this mma striking. Masvidal is one of the better boxers in the ufc a pretty technically sound fighter. He's very different then matt brown who is kind of a sloppy Muay Thai striker that comes forward and gets into aggressive exchanges and takes shots. Masvidal is the opposite, he's gonna go out there and stick and move and catch angles and move in and out and isn't gonna be there when cowboy expects him to be. 

If cowboy gets lured into a boxing match he will lose.

i got masvidal on this one. If cowboy wins then he deserves all the credit in the world cuz this is his hardest test.

Dead_By_Dawn - 
brahmabull81 - 
big daddy yum yums - Has Jorge ever been finished via (t)ko.?

try google you fucking moron

Don't a dick :P
He lost to Rodrigo Damm via tko back in 08

this!

 

Vecna808 - Everyone forgets Cerrone's ground game, jackson is not stupid .

Can he take Jorge down?

Brockback Mountain - Masvidal has been one of the most under the radar dudes for a long time.


Tough fight for anyone.
Tough split decision for anyone you mean?

Fabes -

Love this matchup. 

Me too.

I always thought Masvidal was slept on and considerably better than his record/ranking suggested. This is huge for him. Huge oppertunity.