Jorge Masvidal explains appeal of Nick Diaz fight

Nick Diaz hasn’t fought since early 2015, but he’s still the kind of opponent that Jorge Masvidal finds very appealing.

Masvidal, who is currently the top contender in the stacked UFC welterweight division, explained the allure of a fight with Nick Diaz during a recent chat with Brendan Schaub.

“If he’s got that fire lit under him, I know we’re going to have a fight,” Masvidal told Schaub on a recent episode of Food Truck Diaries (transcript via MMA Junkie). “I know Nick’s a dog. He’s going to take whatever I can give, and I’m going to give him everything that I got to hit the off button, to turn him off, as well, so I’m excited for the fight.

“I know he wants to hurt me. He has to avenge his little brother, so it’s a fight that pumps me up.”

Masvidal continued, praising Nick Diaz for his heart and his fighting style.

“Huge fight, and it has a huge backstory, too,” Masvidal said, before looking back on the time he and Diaz spent competing under the Strikeforce banner. “It’s definitely a fight, and always growing up, me and Nick both fought in Strikeforce in different shows, and I’ve always liked Nick’s style, as well. I’ve always liked how he scraps. I never thought he was the most skilled guy, but I think he’s one of the guys with the biggest heart, you know? Would just lay it all out there, win or lose. He’d always give it his all, and that’s something that I truly admire, that quality in a fighter.

“If he’s the fastest, strongest, it’s good, but my favorite quality in a fighter is the dog, is the guy that just doesn’t take no for an answer – even if he  gets beat up, but he just never took no for an answer,” Masvidal added.

Do you think this Nick Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal fight will get made?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 11/29/2019.