UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman defends the title against former UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 245, but Masvidal would rather face Nick Diaz or Conor McGregor next.
“They’re fighting for the spot to fight me,” Masvidal told Yahoo Sports (via Damon Martin of MMA Fighting). “I’m the ticket at 170 pounds. I’m going to go and get the biggest, best and toughest fights. So it’s looking like we might fight Nick Diaz next, it’s looking like it might be Conor McGregor, obviously those fights come first because of the paycheck and everything it brings while these guys are settling the dust between the hugging championships.”
Masvidal is ranked #3 in the UFC Welterweight Division, putting him in line for a potential shot at the gold after UFC 245, but it seems like the fighter may be going in a different direction.
The surging Masvidal also believes Diaz couldn’t get a bigger fight to be motivated for than a potential bout against him.
“If he’s ever been motivated for a fight, I think it’s going to be this one,” Masvidal said. “I think whatever he’s been doing in the past, he’ll cut it and he’ll get into his ways of fighting. Knowing the Diaz brothers and how much they love and respect each other, I know that guy’s going to come with everything he has. That hypes me up to want to fight. Like let’s f*cking do this cause you’re not taking nothing what I’ve got. You’re knocking at my front door and you ain’t getting in here. I’m going to stop you right where you stand. That’s how I feel.”
McGregor seems like an unlikely option to face Masvidal next as he will face Donald Cerrone this January in the main event of UFC 246.
