Masvidal Teases UFC Return, Wants Leon Edwards Rematch

Jorge Masvidal says he is in talks with the UFC about a comeback fight and wants Leon Edwards as the man on the other side of the cage. Masvidal told MMA Junkie a deal could come together "this year" or "early next year," and that Edwards is at the top of his wish list to finally settle their beef inside a sanctioned bout.

The two have unfinished business dating back to 2019, when Masvidal sucker punched Edwards backstage at the O2 Arena in London after Edwards kept approaching him following separate fight-night wins. Masvidal famously called it giving Edwards "the three-piece with a soda" in the aftermath. Now, seven years later, Masvidal says he would like to run it back for real.

"Leon is definitely a prospect. Leon is definitely someone I would like to go back in and close that chapter out," Masvidal said, adding that once the UFC gives him "the right name and the right number," he expects to be fighting again at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Where Things Actually Stand With the UFC

Masvidal has talked about a UFC return for years without it materializing. He negotiated a conditional release from the promotion in 2023 that allowed him to box a short list of approved opponents, a deal that led to his loss to Nate Diaz by majority decision in Anaheim last summer. That fight also left him without a chunk of his purse, a dispute that has hung over any talk of him going back to the UFC.

Masvidal has not won a fight since his doctor-stoppage win over Diaz at UFC 244 in November 2019. He has since dropped four straight fights inside the Octagon, including a welterweight title loss to Kamaru Usman, before going 0-1 in his lone boxing outing against Diaz last year. At 41, he is trying to sell the promotion on a legacy fight rather than a genuine title run, and the UFC has shown little urgency to make it happen, instead giving him a media platform on CBS Sports' Deep Waters podcast rather than a new contract.

Edwards, for his part, has been through a rough stretch of his own. The former welterweight champion lost his belt to Belal Muhammad in July 2024, was then submitted by Sean Brady in March 2025, and was knocked out by Carlos Prates at UFC 322 this past November. He does not currently have a fight booked.

Betting Angle

Neither man has a scheduled opponent, so there is no line to price yet, but the fight makes sense as a pay-per-view style attraction rather than a top-of-the-rankings clash. Edwards remains the significantly more accomplished and live fighter of the two, a former undisputed champion who was competing for UFC gold as recently as last year, while Masvidal is 41 and without a win in six years. If this fight gets made, expect Edwards to open as a clear favorite on name value and recent form alone, even with him coming off back-to-back losses. The real betting interest here will be less about who wins and more about how the promotion prices a grudge match between two fighters both trying to find their footing again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a fight between Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards official?

No. Jorge Masvidal says he is in talks with the UFC about a comeback and has named Leon Edwards as his preferred opponent, but no fight has been announced or scheduled.

Why do Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards have beef?

Jorge Masvidal sucker punched Leon Edwards backstage at the O2 Arena in London in 2019 after Edwards repeatedly confronted him following fight-night wins for both men.

What is Jorge Masvidal's current record and recent form?

Jorge Masvidal has not won a fight since knocking out Nate Diaz's corner via doctor stoppage at UFC 244 in 2019, and he lost his most recent bout, a boxing rematch with Diaz, by majority decision in 2024.