Jorge Masvidal eyes end of year return against top-five opponent, claims Leon Edwards is “not a fighter”

Jorge Masvidal is looking to return sometime in October or November against a top-five opponent.

Masvidal is coming off back-to-back losses to Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title including losing by a vicious KO back at UFC 261. Although the losses are disappointing, “Gamebred” says he’s eager to return at the end of this year.

“Whoever’s in the top five available November or October, that’s who’s head I’m coming after,” Masvidal said (via The MacLife) ahead of the debut of his bare-knuckle MMA promotion Gamebred Fighting Championship.

One name that many brought up to fight Masvidal next is Leon Edwards. He’s coming off a solid win over Nate Diaz but is on the outside looking in on the title picture. Yet, according to Masvidal, he believes the Brit isn’t a fighter as he doesn’t have the grit to go out and beat up a guy like Diaz.

“It was a good fight, good performance, I thought. Leon does what he does and he keeps asking for more money and more things, but he’s not a finisher. He’s not a fighter,” Masvidal said. “He was winning happily and he wasn’t willing to put himself in a risk to go out there and get those finishes. That’s why I don’t think he’s in the position that he wants to be in, because he’s not going out and fighting every second of every minute. So he’s a very skilled guy, but he just doesn’t have that grit and that meanness in him to go out there and beat up a top contender the way he should.”

Despite the fact Jorge Masvidal thinks Edwards isn’t a real fighter, he did mention him as a possible return opponent. He does want someone ranked in the top-five but also mentioned Nick and Nate Diaz as possible opponents as well.

“All of the above,” Masvidal said. “Whoever’s available October or November when I’m coming back, that’s who’s head I’m taking off. Whoever it is.”

Who would you like to see Jorge Masvidal fight in his return scrap?