Simon Head: You’ve got to strike while the iron is hot
There are many ways to look at Jorge Masvidal’s decision to step in on a week’s notice to face Kamaru Usman at UFC 251, but ultimately the decision comes down to one thing: Masvidal’s desire to be a UFC champion.
Masvidal was in a relatively rare position of being able to still land a big-time, big-money fight, even if he didn’t opt to face Usman next. A rematch with Nate Diaz is sitting there waiting to be booked, while a fight with Conor McGregor might just be the biggest fight the UFC could book, in any weight class. There is even the backup option of a possible grudge match with Leon Edwards, recipient of the infamous “three-piece and a soda” that helped kickstart Masvidal’s recent surge to stardom.
Given that those options are all feasible, Masvidal certainly didn’t need to step in and take a title shot on short notice. But the fact that he has shows that “Gamebred” wants to grab his title opportunity while it’s staring him in the face. In short, if you want a UFC title, you have to be ready to strike while the iron is hot.
Had Masvidal bided his time and waited for a full-camp opportunity, someone else could potentially have stepped in and defeated Usman, or pushed him to the very limit. In that scenario, a rematch would be likely. If that one sees a reversal of the first result, there would almost certainly be a call for a trilogy fight.
Meanwhile, Masvidal would have to sit tight and wait for the chips to fall in his favor. He’d likely have to take alternative fights himself, too. And while the likes of Diaz, McGregor and Edwards the most bankable options, none of them are gimme fights, either. One slip up – or one long-term injury – could see Masvidal’s title hopes evaporate.
There are no guarantees in this sport, so when the big chance comes, more often than not it makes sense to take it. For Masvidal, who has been training throughout the lockdown to stay ready for his next assignment, his time is now. Taking the short-notice title fight is the smart play. Now he needs to go out there and win it. If he does, the MMA world is his oyster.
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