Jorge Masvidal will compete for the ‘baddest motherf**er in the game’ title at UFC 244, but he already earned those credentials years ago when he was competing on the street fighting circuit in Miami.
Long before he was a top-ranked UFC welterweight, Masvidal was nicknamed “Ponytail” as part of the street fight series promoted by Kimbo Slice, who himself came to prominence through a series of these underground, bare-knuckle brawls that exploded when internet video was still in its infancy.
In the latest installment of his “The Diaries of a Street Fighter,” Masvidal looks back at one of his most infamous fights when he took on one of Kimbo’s prodigies in a rematch after they had previously slugged it out.
“We threw down in those scraps like dogs, like f—king animals and nothing but love. Both times, the first and the second time and I respect that,” Masvidal said about his opponent from back in the day.
“It was a soul-searching moment. It was tough. It wasn’t easy. There’s no time limits on that and we’re just going, going and going.”
Masvidal reflects on a nasty knockdown that nearly put him out of the fight and his ability to power through to stage a comeback.
In the end, Masvidal got the win and that was just another example of how he was forged in the fires of the streets, which ultimately helped him prepare for the battles he would face in the UFC.
“That rematch was tough, but it let the world know who you had in here,” Masvidal said.
Masvidal also reveals a look at his wrestling practice at American Top Team under the watchful eye of his head coach Mike Brown as he continues to prepare for his showdown against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in New York.