UFC 241: Nate Diaz wants to fight Jorge Masvidal for the ‘baddest in the game’ belt

‘That’s mine, I’d like to defend it against Jorge, if you wanna be the baddest let’s do it,’ Diaz says, with Dana White ‘not opposed’

‘You got to recognise who’s the best of the best in this game and it’s not who they say it is, it’s who I’m saying it is’

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Nate Diaz throws a punch against Anthony Pettis. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:58pm, 18 Aug 2019Updated: 4:59pm, 18 Aug 2019

Nate Diaz has said he called out Jorge Masvidal because he wants to settle who the “baddest m*********” in the UFC is.

Crowd favourite Diaz returned after a three-year lay-off to score an impressive unanimous decision win against Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 in Anaheim, California. He used his post-fight interview in the Octagon to challenge “gangster” Masvidal, who is coming off two huge knockout wins against Darren Till and Ben Askren.

“That’s the guy to fight, not like these wrestlers who get you on the ground and try to win a round to win the fight,” Diaz said during the post-event press conference at the Honda Centre.

“We fighting for baddest m********** in the game belt, that’s mine. I’d like to defend it against Jorge, you wanna be the baddest then let’s do it.”

Jorge Masvidal knocks out Ben Askren with a flying knee. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Masvidal seemed receptive to the idea – the Cuban-American, whose stunning five-second flying knee KO of Askren is the fastest finish in UFC history, was there and nodded after Diaz’s call out.