Jorge Masvidal left Salt Lake City with a significantly lighter wallet after putting some big money on teammate Dustin Poirier in the UFC 291 main event
‘The Diamond’ entered Saturday’s clash in the Crossroads of the West as a moderate favorite, listed at -150 on multiple sportsbooks. With a solid betting line and a heap of confidence, ‘Gamebred’ laid down a bag of cash on his boy, hoping to pocket just over $66,000 in profit with a $100,000 bet.
Instead, Jorge Masvidal went home in the hole after Poirier’s opponent, Justin Gaethje, delivered a highlight-reel-worthy head kick knockout less than a minute into the second round. Speaking with Caroline Pearce following the unbelievable finish, Masvidal suggested that everything was going Poirier’s way until it wasn’t.
JUSTIN GAETHJE JUST SENT DUSTIN POIRIER INTO THE SHADOW REALM!!!! HEAD KICK IN SALT LAKE CITY!!!!!#UFC291 https://t.co/SQhaefxakh
— 🪐🥊 (@plutommaboxing) July 30, 2023
“Great fight. I felt Dustin was dictating the pace. He landed the better shots in the first round. It was all going Dustin’s way. And then the fight game, you know?” Masvidal told TNT Sports following UFC 291. “Justin looked down, came up with a head kick, and caught my boy. It was a perfect kick… That was all she wrote.
“Dustin looked in the best shape ever, and obviously he’s my teammate, so I wanted the world for him to win,” Masvidal continued. “I made a wager that I probably shouldn’t have. I put $100,000 on DP, on Dustin Poirier. Kids, I’m sorry. You gotta go to public school now.”
With the odds evened and the BMF title wrapped around his waist, Justin Gaethje will now put his focus on adding another belt to his collection. Specifically, the UFC lightweight world championship.
On October 21, the promotion will head back to Abu Dhabi with a can’t-miss lightweight title rematch as former champion Charles Oliveira returns to run back his UFC 280 meeting with reigning titleholder Islam Makhachev. The winner of that bout is now expected to face Justin Gaethje in late 2023 or early 2024.
