UFC: Jorge Masvidal warns Conor McGregor ‘you have to go through me’ for welterweight title shot

Conor McGregor certainly ruffled Kamaru Usman’s feathers when he suggested he might come after the UFC welterweight title. Now Jorge Masvidal has piped up.

Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor will fight at 170 pounds for just the third time in his career when he returns to the Octagon against Donald Cerrone on January 18 in Las Vegas.

The Irishman has a win and a loss against Nate Diaz in the division, with both fights taking place in 2016. And Masvidal – considered the No 1 contender to Usman’s title – doesn’t think that record makes the grade.

“It’s cute man, you don’t do nothing at 70 [170 pounds], you have some type of power at 55,” Masvidal told Submission Radio. “You can skip who and what at 55, but at 70 that wouldn’t even be a conversation.

“Just based on his record alone, he’s 1-1 at 170. And on top of that, you have to go through me to get the title shot. I dictate who gets the next title shot and when that’ll be. And that’s just simple.

“If I’m fighting Conor, maybe someone else gets the title shot. If I’m not fighting Conor, then I’m fighting for this title, I’m having owl soup.”

UFC: Usman says he’d retire McGregor – ‘tremendous mismatch’

McGregor is also calling for a rematch with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov if he beats “Cowboy” – something which has riled Justin Gaethje – as well as wanting to take Masvidal’s “BMF” belt.

“Part of me feels like buddy doesn’t want to scrap,” Masvidal said. “We’re cool, OK, next. I’m not gonna linger on it, force anybody to dance with me. Somebody’s getting baptised.”