Jorge Masvidal Aims to Belt the Winner of the 'BMF' Fight

• UFC

When the “BMF” belt finds its way back into the UFC octagon at UFC 291, it's not just about who'll clinch the title. A new tradition is brewing, and former champion Jorge Masvidal is at the heart of it. The tradition, according to Masvidal, involves the belt's previous winners taking up the mantle of awarding the coveted title to the new champion.

This July, we'll see if the UFC decides to incorporate Masvidal's vision into its legacy, as Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje vie for the much-anticipated "BMF" belt. The BMF Legacy Continues Jorge Masvidal first wore the "BMF" belt in November of 2019 when he emerged victorious over Nate Diaz.

Fast forward nearly four years, and the UFC is all set to reintroduce the belt for a thrilling rematch between fan favorites Poirier and Gaethje on July 29 in Salt Lake City. Poirier, with an overall record of 29-7 and a UFC scorecard of 21-6, squares off against Gaethje, who holds a 24-4 overall and 7-4 UFC record.

When Masvidal originally won the "BMF" belt, it was the charismatic Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson who presented the award. Now retired, Masvidal feels that the baton has passed to him. “It should only be me and me alone,” Masvidal expressed to MMA Junkie.

“It should be me giving it to the winner of that and the winner of that giving it to the winner [of the next fight] and so on and so on. That’s the tradition, right?” Embracing a New Tradition? Despite the UFC not approaching Masvidal about this notion, he wasn’t taken aback. “I like it, that they’re going to continue the legacy," he shared.

Masvidal is excited to see these fighters strive for the belt, acknowledging the inevitable fact that one of them will eventually retire, passing the belt onto another deserving fighter. Looking ahead to the upcoming fight, Masvidal seems to have a keen eye on Poirier. “Dustin damn near caught a body the first time they fought,” he recalled.

“I’ve been watching Dustin, he’s got some tricks and things up his sleeve for this fight coming. I think it’s going to be one of his best masterpieces”.