Dana White respects Jorge Masvidal’s decision to retire from MMA.
On April 8, Masvidal took off his gloves and announced his retirement following a unanimous decision loss against Gilbert Burns. The former UFC welterweight title challenger shared the special moment with his hometown crowd after fighting in Miami, Florida, for the first time in his career. During the UFC 287 post-event press conference, the UFC president reacted to ‘Gamebred’ retiring by saying:
“As soon as you think about retiring, you should in this business. He’s made a lot of money, he made a lot of money tonight. He’s got things outside of the Octagon going on too like Conor [McGregor] does and some of these other guys. I think he’s proved everything he needed to prove to himself and he’s changed his family’s life. Why not?”
Masvidal suffered his fourth consecutive defeat at UFC 287. ‘Gamebred’ last won in November 2019 for the BMF title against Nate Diaz. Since then, the Miami native lost two championship fights against Kamaru Usman and unanimous decisions against Colby Covington and Burns. The 38-year-old can now focus on his business ventures that were started with the money he made in MMA.
Watch Dana White’s UFC 287 post-event press conference below:
Dana White says Jorge Masvidal’s flying knee against Ben Askren changed his life
In July 2019, Jorge Masvidal shocked the world with a five-second flying knee knockout against Ben Askren. The unforgettable finish skyrocketed Masvidal’s value, making him a worldwide superstar. During the UFC 287 post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked if ‘Gamebred’ was an example for young fighters to seize an opportunity. He responded by saying:
“That flying knee changed his life. When he threw that flying knee, it changed his whole life.”
Masvidal started his fighting career on Kimbo Slice’s YouTube videos, where he fought in the streets of South Florida. He made his professional MMA debut in May 2003, building a record of 23-7 in Strikeforce, Bellator, and the regional scene. In April 2013, ‘Gamebred’ fought in the Octagon for the first time, defeating Tim Means by unanimous decision.
Masvidal was just another fighter before competing on Exatlon Estados Unidos, a reality TV show based on survival. The Miami native decided to further commit to MMA and never give up, leading to his legendary three-fight win streak against Askren, Darren Till, and Nate Diaz. Throughout 52 professional MMA fights, ‘Gamebred’ solidified his legacy as an entertaining fighter who was never afraid of any opponent.
one of the greatest knockouts of all time. This is how we will remember Jorge Masvidal in the UFC #UFC287 https://t.co/gwElnX5aMu
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 9, 2023
