Jorge Masvidal makes UFC comeback announcement and teases opponent
Jorge Masvidal has made a significant announcement regarding his potential UFC comeback - and teased the identity of his opponent.
Masvidal last fought in the UFC in April 2023, losing to Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision.
That was his fourth consecutive loss in the promotion, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Kamaru Usman and then a defeat to Colby Covington.
He announced immediately after the Burns fight that he would be retiring from competition at the age of 38.
Advert
Masvidal took part in his debut boxing fight in July 2024, losing to fellow former UFC fighter Nate Diaz by majority decision after 10 rounds. The judges scored the fight in favour of Diaz 95-95, 97-93, 98-92.
'Gamebred' has also launched his own bare-knuckle fighting championship, titled Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA. There are two 16-man World Grand Prix tournaments taking place at heavyweight and lightweight in 2026, with $500,000 on offer to the winner of each event.
'Getting closer and closer...' - Masvidal addresses UFC comeback
Speculation around his potential return to the UFC, at the age of 41, has rumbled on in the background.
Masvidal has told MMA Junkie's Jero Guerra that he has indeed been in talks with the UFC and could make his comeback to the Octagon before the middle of 2027.
"I've been talking to the UFC. It could be this year, it could be early next year," he said. "We've been talking for a little bit, and the numbers are getting closer and closer, and better and better. So there might be some big news coming soon."
When asked about potential opponents, Masvidal named British star Leon Edwards as 'definitely a prospect'.
"Waiting for the right angles, but once they give me the right name, and the right number attached to that, you'll see your boy right back here at the T-Mobile Arena.
"Leon is definitely a prospect. Leon is definitely somebody who I would like to get back in with and close that chapter, you know."
Edwards and Masvidal were due to fight on the UFC 269 card in Nevada back in December 2021, but it had to be cancelled due to Masvidal suffering an injury in the build-up.
The pair were involved in a backstage fight at UFC London in 2019, with Edwards suffering a cut under his eye after Masvidal unexpectedly threw punches at him.
After their 2021 fight date was cancelled, both men subsequently moved on to other opponents and their long-anticipated fight has never taken place.
Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman to win the UFC Welterweight Championship in August 2022, and staged two successful title defences before dropping the belt to Belal Muhammad nearly two years later.
He is one of only three British fighters to win an undisputed championship in the UFC, with Michael Bisping the first man to achieve the feat. Current UFC Heavyweight Championship holder Tom Aspinall is the third.
Edwards, now 34, has lost both of his most recent fights since losing the welterweight belt. He was defeated by Sean Brady via fourth-round submission in London in March 2025, before losing via KO to Carlos Prates at UFC 322 in November.
Topics: Jorge Masvidal, UFC, MMA
Ryan Smart