It appears virtually like a lifetime in the past when Jorge Masvidal received concerned in a backstage struggle with Leon Edwards that resulted a catchphrase that simply turned a part of the MMA vernacular afterwards.
“I gave him the three-piece with the soda”
That was Masvidal’s manner of telling the story about popping Edwards with a few punches after the fighters got here face-to-face following a UFC occasion in London again in 2019. Given the dangerous blood between them, it appeared like Masvidal and Edwards would finally settle their grievances within the octagon however in some way the UFC by no means pulled the set off on the matchup.
Regardless of that incident occurring over 5 years in the past, Masvidal and Edwards nonetheless get requested about it to at the present time as a result of the rivalry between them born that day by no means received settled.
For his half, Masvidal claims he accepted a struggle towards Edwards, however the future UFC champion declined so the matchup by no means got here collectively.
“I do know he wouldn’t struggle me,” Masvidal instructed MMA Preventing. “He received supplied and turned it down. He don’t need this.”
“I attempted [to fight him]. Leon Edwards don’t need this. He had different choices, he went for different issues besides struggle me, mainly. I’ll let you know that a lot.”
May that probably change now that Masvidal is planning a comeback to the UFC and Edwards wants an opponent after shedding the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad in July?
Masvidal isn’t against the concept as a result of he is aware of there’s nonetheless some unfinished enterprise there and the disdain shared between them didn’t simply disappear.
Whereas nothing has been determined but about his comeback struggle, Masvidal welcomed the prospect to face Edwards, and he’s throwing down the gauntlet to fulfill sooner relatively than later.
“I’ll let you know proper now, Leon, I’ll whoop your f*cking ass,” Masvidal mentioned. “Let’s f*cking go. I don’t know possibly Dec. 7 in Vegas, possibly subsequent 12 months on the Tremendous Bowl. I don’t know however I’ll beat the f*ck out of your little skinny ass.”
In fact, Edwards hasn’t fought since falling to Muhammad in July, though he’s hinted at a possible return earlier than the top of the 12 months.
Whereas he didn’t have any pores and skin within the sport throughout that welterweight title struggle, Masvidal confessed that he was extremely impressed by Muhammad, who successfully shut down Edwards for almost all of the five-round struggle.
Muhammad has now gone undefeated in 11 consecutive fights and Masvidal had nothing however reward for the brand new UFC welterweight champion.
“For starters, Belal has [improved] a lot since I first noticed him,” Masvidal mentioned. “I noticed him struggle stay earlier than within the UFC and it’s like he’s not the perfect athlete, he doesn’t have the craziest ability set. However slowly however certainly, this man simply received higher and higher and higher. There’s a number of instances the place I used to be like he’s not beating that man. Improper! He beat the f*ck out of that man. He did that a number of instances.
“Now to see him because the champion, I believe he’s one of many guys that’s improved drastically essentially the most. Actually wonderful. Nice journey.”
