Filed under: Featured, News, UFC, Videos

NEW YORK – Jorge Masvidal is not very pleased with the direction the sport has gone in terms of earning UFC title shots. However, he knows he might just have to play into the trend in order to get one in the welterweight division.

Masvidal (32-12 MMA, 9-5 UFC), who meets Stephen Thompson (13-2-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 217, has been circling a title shot for the past few fights. He could have solidified one with a victory over Demian Maia earlier this year, but ultimately came up short in the fight.

Now Masvidal, 32, is back in position to potentially set up a bout with champ Tyron Woodley (18-3-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC). Thompson is coming off two failed bids against Woodley, and if Masvidal can beat him he thinks it would be enough to validate a crack at the gold. However, given the state of the sport, he knows something extra is probably needed.

“You know what’s more important than winning is the post-fight speech,” Masvidal told MMAjunkie at today’s UFC 217 media event. “That’s what goes viral. If I do something pretty stupid, then yeah, I’ll probably get the title shot. I don’t know if I need to jump over the cage and get in somebody’s face or do like that (expletive) (Michael) Bisping and spit on people’s corner. I don’t know what I’m going to do have to do, but it’s going to have to be something of retardedness.

“That’s the age that we live in. It’s reality TV and Kim Kardashian and them have brainwashed people into thinking that’s what life is about: the more wretchedness, the more you get seen and stuff. So if I do something stupid after the fight, no matter how boring the fight might have been, I’ll get a title shot.”

UFC 217 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Masvidal vs. Thompson airs on the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Potential post-fight antics aside, Masvidal, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, said he’s largely looking forward to the matchup with No. 2-ranked Thompson. He does have some reservations, though, and that’s about how his opponent will approach things once in the octagon.

Thompson’s second title fight with Woodley at UFC 209 earned nearly unanimous criticism as one of the more underwhelming contests of the year. Masvidal knows he could be in for a frustrating night if Thompson doesn’t engage, but he said he’s mentally prepared to deal with that and implement his gameplan.

“Hopefully he doesn’t come on his bicycle and just (expletive) not fight,” Masvidal said. “I’m going to look to break his face like I always do. I just want to fight. He wants to dance and (expletive), that’s different. I want to fight. Hopefully he came with the same mindset, to fight.

“I’m going to deliver. I’m not worried about what he’s going to do at the end of the day. It will just give more action to the fans if he does fight. But whether he fights or not, it’s not going to be his night.”

Masvidal hopes to put on a type of performance which will prove a title shot is necessary without going outside of his character with some “retardedness.” Whether he will deliver, though, remains to be seen.

“I’m No. 1 after this fight,” Masvidal said. “When I took this fight he was No. 1 in the division. Me beating him puts me as No. 1, by a lot. He went 10 rounds with the champion, both fights were extremely close, so it’s a no-brainer I think.”

For more on UFC 217, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Filed under: Featured, News, UFC, Videos