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Masvidal Ready to Settle the Score with Edwards After UFC 299 Shocker
The MMA world is buzzing with fresh drama as Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging Leon Edwards to finally settle their long-standing beef. This comes at a particularly vulnerable moment for the former champ, who just suffered his first-ever finish loss in devastating fashion.
If you missed it, Edwards was forced to tap out earlier this month against Sean Brady at UFC 299 – the first time in his career that “Rocky” has been finished. Now Masvidal, ever the opportunist, seems eager to kick Edwards while he’s down.
The “Three Piece and a Soda” Saga Continues
You might remember when these two first crossed paths backstage in London back in 2019. That infamous incident gave us the now-legendary “three piece and a soda” line after Masvidal landed several punches on Edwards during an interview interruption.
I’ve followed this beef for years, and it’s one of those rare MMA rivalries that truly feels personal. Despite multiple attempts to book them against each other, we’ve never seen them settle it properly in the octagon.
Insert image of Masvidal and Edwards backstage altercation here
Perfect Timing or Cheap Shot?
Is Masvidal’s timing questionable? Absolutely. The Miami native seems to have a knack for calling out fighters when they’re at their lowest points. Edwards just experienced the most devastating loss of his career – a submission defeat that shocked fans who believed his ground game had evolved beyond such vulnerabilities.
Brady’s victory wasn’t just surprising – it was downright dominant. He controlled Edwards on the ground before securing the rear-naked choke that forced the former champion to tap for the first time in his professional career.
What This Means for Both Fighters
For Masvidal, this potential matchup represents a chance at redemption. After retiring following a string of losses, including his knockout defeat to Colby Covington, Gamebred clearly misses the spotlight. A win over a former champion like Edwards could reignite his career and prove he’s still a force in the welterweight division.
For Edwards, the calculus is more complicated. Does he want to risk another loss while trying to bounce back from his first finish? Or would defeating his long-time rival provide the perfect comeback story?
Fighter | Current Status | Last Fight | Motivation |
---|---|---|---|
Jorge Masvidal | Technically Retired | Loss to Gilbert Burns (Apr 2023) | Settling personal beef, career resurgence |
Leon Edwards | Coming off first finish loss | Submission loss to Sean Brady (Mar 2024) | Redemption, settling grudge, path back to title |
What the Fans Want to See
Look, we’ve been teased with this matchup for literally half a decade. The backstage brawl, the trash talk, the near-misses of actually booking this fight – it’s all built to a fever pitch that would make this one of the most anticipated grudge matches in recent memory.
You can feel the tension whenever these two are mentioned in the same sentence. This isn’t manufactured beef for promotion – these guys genuinely can’t stand each other.
Could This Actually Happen?
The biggest question remains: will the UFC actually book this fight? Masvidal technically announced his retirement, but we all know how MMA retirements go (hint: they rarely stick). Edwards, meanwhile, needs to regroup after his loss to Brady.
There’s also the matter of whether this fight makes sense from a rankings perspective. But let’s be real – when has the UFC ever let rankings get in the way of a grudge match that would sell tickets?
The Ball is in Edwards’ Court
Edwards now faces a critical career decision. Taking on Masvidal could provide the perfect comeback narrative – defeating a bitter rival to reclaim momentum. Or it could be seen as a step back from title contention after his championship reign.
What do you think? Should Edwards take the bait and finally settle this long-standing feud with Masvidal? Or focus on climbing back toward title contention through higher-ranked opponents?
The welterweight division continues to deliver drama both inside and outside the octagon. If this fight does materialize, you can bet I’ll be first in line for tickets.
Leave your thoughts in the comments below – would you rather see Edwards focus on redemption against Brady or settling scores with Masvidal?