Jorge Masvidal was recently seen in action when he took on Nate Diaz in a highly anticipated boxing clash. ‘Gamebred’ lost the fight and later went on to claim that he had been ‘robbed’ after the judges scored the bout (97-93, 98-92, 95-95). However, his next goal is to return to the Octagon and try his hands at Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) again.

The announcement has sent shockwaves in the welterweight division, with fans and fighters wondering what’s next. With his best years seemingly being him, will the UFC entertain Masvidal’s big demands? How is the return plan looking for ‘Gamebred?’

Jorge Masvidal is eyeing a return in 2025

Jorge Masvidal announced his retirement from the sport in 2023 after losing his fight against Gilbert Burns in his hometown of Miami. Since announcing his retirement he took up boxing and featured in a couple of fights with a record of 1-1. But it seems ‘Gamebred’ has once again found his motivation and will return to the UFC.  During a recent interview with ESPN, Masvidal pointed out that he had contacted the UFC for his potential return. Much to his advantage, he is still under contract with the UFC and will not be required to sign a new deal.

While there is no fixed date for his return, there’s only one problem that ‘Gamebred’ might face. Since he did retire from the sport, he will once again have to start from scratch in terms of testing. The 39-year-old will need to be in the UFC’s drug testing program for a minimum of 180 days before featuring in his first competitive fight. However, this particular rule does have an exception and the promotion has the power to waive that requirement if it deems appropriate.

Jake Noecker recently took to his X account to give out details about his comeback. He tweeted, “Spoke with Jorge Masvidal who tells me he is still signed with the UFC and is planning to make his return to the promotion as soon as possible, like early 2025. Masvidal also believes he’ll be in immediate welterweight title contention and is excited to potentially face some of the new names at the top of the WW division.” 

He might be excited to face some top names in the division, but there’s one man he has a special liking for, Leon Edwards. The former welterweight champion has no fights lined up at the moment after losing his belt to Belal Muhammad. It seems Masvidal is ready to take him on next, but only if the UFC allows him.

Masvidal might just have to wait before he gets to face Leon Edwards

Masvidal has fought several big names in the UFC during his time. However, there’s one showdown that fans never got to see: Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards. The pair engaged in a heated backstage altercation in 2019 but never got a chance to settle their differences inside the Octagon. However, with ‘Gamebred’ making a comeback to the UFC, the fans might just get to see the much-awaited battle. However, it all comes down to whether the UFC wants to see the fight happen. Opening up about his latest conversation with the UFC, Masvidal shared the promotion’s reaction after showing his interest in taking on ‘Rocky.’

Unfortunately, UFC’s Hunter Campbell doesn’t quite like the idea of the fight proposed by ‘Gamebred.’ During a conversation with ESPN MMA, Masvidal pointed out that he had put forward his idea, but it was rejected. He said, “Of course, I did. Man, the first thing I told his (Hunter’s) a–yeah, they shut it down. Said they won’t do that. Okay, we’ll see who’s next, you know. But yeah, all this ranking and all. How are your gonna skip the line?”

It seems Jorge Masvidal will have to earn his opportunity to fight the former champion. While there is no announcement for his return as of yet, fans do have something to look forward to. Realistically, Masvidal will probably not fight for a UFC title again. But there are other big fights, like Conor McGregor, that ‘Street Jesus’ could be a part of. What are your expectations if Masvidal returns to the UFC in 2025? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.