Masvidal: If Nick Diaz wants to avenge brother, 'let's go'
Jorge Masvidal would apparently love to add another Diaz brother to his resume.
UFC president Dana White confirmed at the UFC 261 postfight presser that Nick Diaz is in talks for a long-awaited return, and Masvidal is one of the most logical opponents for the 37-year-old.
The veteran's chances of challenging for the welterweight title for a third time are slim after being knocked out by Kamaru Usman in a rematch on Saturday. If Masvidal is pivoting to potential big-money fights, a matchup with the elder Diaz is arguably one of the most lucrative available due to the storyline of sibling revenge. Masvidal rose to stardom in part by beating Nate Diaz for the BMF title in 2019.
"Definitely, Nick is a stud,” Masvidal told ESPN's Ariel Helwani. "If Nick wants to throw down I'm more than willing to throw down. Like I said, I'm going to do it on my time, I'm not taking short notice fights, I don't care who it is. I'm not going to do that right now. But, if Nick does want to fight towards the end of this year, what can I say, I'm here.
"You want to do right for your brother? Let's go. I heard a lot of interviews that he wasn’t too keen on what I did to his little brother. Neither would I. I feel for Nick in that situation. I know what I'd wanna do if somebody did that to my little brother. So, let's go."
Nick attended UFC 261 and met with White after the event to discuss resuming his career following a six-year absence.
The former welterweight contender remains one of the sport's most beloved figures, as shown by the reception he received from the full-capacity crowd in Florida.
Nick Diaz is in the building for #UFC261 👀 pic.twitter.com/KyS9W5S0oQ
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 25, 2021
While the brutal finish at the hands of Usman has altered Masvidal's plans for the rest of the year, he's still hoping to recover in time to get one more fight in by the end of 2021.
"I'll definitely fight again this year. I have to," Masvidal said. "I've got to fight this year. I want to. If it wasn't for this suspension and this knockout, I would have been fighting three or four times this year."