Masvidal: 'I'll never say I'll never come back'

Former UFC star Jorge Masvidal is happy with his decision to retire from mixed martial arts, but he admitted Friday it's hard for him to say he won't fight again.

"I love this sport so f-----g much, bro," Masvidal told ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "So, I'll never say I'll never come back, because I love it so much, in a moment I can have so many great memories that just fill me and will stay with me forever about this sport. So, I'll never say I can't come back."

The 38-year-old welterweight announced his retirement after a loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 earlier in April. He explained that he still loved the sport but felt he had "lost that step."

Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington said last weekend he believed Masvidal's retirement was "fake" and that he'd "be back to get a paycheck."

For now, Masvidal is focused on his combat sports organizations. He promoted a Roy Jones Jr. versus Anthony Pettis boxing match on April 1 and will host a bare-knuckle MMA event next week in Florida.