“I Said ‘Hell Yeah’ Let’s Make it Happen”- Jorge Masvidal Details His Street Fighting Days in the Kimbo Slice Backyard Circuit

Jorge Masvidal spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto and took a stroll down memory lane, sharing stories about his days as a street fighter. In the special feature covered via ESPN MMA, ‘Gamebred’ aired out his days coming up in the Kimbo Slice circuit. Miami’s favorite son has become one of the biggest stars in the UFC, much in part to his background.

The Welterweight title challenger has a legendary street reputation stemming from his well-documented brawls. Additionally, his lore is further bolstered by the fact that he is estimated to have fights in the triple digits. Masvidal is a seasoned campaigner with an extensive background in kickboxing, boxing, and certainly, MMA.

Jorge Masvidal: A storied come-up

‘Gamebred’ candidly recalled his elevation as a young street fighter in Miami’s 305 alongside his friends.

“I started bouncing around all over Miami, everyone knew I could fight. Maybe like me and 6 other friends would come with like $43 and then we’d go bet it against the other 5 guys that’s it, you now. Go crazy at the McDonald’s dollar menu.”

Moreover, Masvidal attained mainstream visibility amongst hardcore fight fans when he popped up alongside Kimbo Slice. Slice was renowned in the community for his vibrant personality and ability to scrap.

Jorge Masvidal detailed his first encounter with the legendary street fighter and also explained his own entry into the game. A viral street fight that saw Masvidal rematch an opponent, with Slice as the referee, is the stuff of legends.

“We were at the same gym in Miami and Kimbo just kept hitting the bag and then a rapport was built. And then he eventually asked me if I could fight in the backyard. I said ‘Hell yeah’ let’s make it happen.”

His days as a scrappy street fighter are far beyond him. Jorge Masvidal is on the cusp of achieving greatness by becoming the most popular fighter in the promotion. Not to mention, without an undisputed title, he has managed to become a massive draw for the company.

A victory over bitter rival Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 would ensure his altitude in the sport reaches atmospheric proportions.