Jorge Masvidal mentioned Monday he feels “nice” and is hoping to earn his means again to a different title shot after shedding by way of second-round knockout to welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on Saturday in the principle occasion of UFC 261.
Masvidal, 36, admitted there have been transient moments when he thought of “retirement, or might I get the belt, as a result of if I am not going for the belt, what am I doing right here?” However he mentioned these round him, particularly his father, Jorge Masvidal Sr., and his coach, Mike Brown, inspired him to maintain chasing his dream of successful a title.
“I thought of some foul s— for a bit of bit,” Masvidal informed ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. “However your thoughts will be weak at these moments, at its weakest.
“However it was just for about perhaps minutes to an hour till I spoke to these folks that I belief probably the most on the planet. They had been like, ‘No, you continue to acquired this. The drip continues to be there.’ You simply have to rearrange this and that. And in addition you have to win us over. They don’t seem to be saying it is endlessly. These closest to me had been saying to me, go on the market the subsequent struggle and show I nonetheless acquired it.”
It was Masvidal’s second consecutive loss whereas vying for Usman’s title, nevertheless it was his first defeat by knockout or technical knockout since 2008.
“I really like this sport, I can not retire with out the belt,” Masvidal mentioned. “I am cussed, I simply need to give it as a lot as I can. I am 36 years previous, I nonetheless really feel good, I nonetheless push myself on the gymnasium and never be overwhelmed by the younger guys, so why not give it one other run?”
Masvidal mentioned Usman tricked him into pondering he was going to shoot for a takedown Saturday. However as Masvidal readied his takedown protection, Usman unloaded an enormous proper hand to his jaw.
“I assumed he was stepping into for a shot, and by the point I spotted it wasn’t a shot, it was too late,” Masvidal mentioned. “I learn the data fallacious. He bought it to me fantastically. Of that second, I’m a fan, as a result of I really like this sport a lot. It was a stupendous approach. “
Through the interview, Masvidal praised Usman’s abilities and admitted Usman could also be “uninterested in beating me,” however he mentioned he nonetheless needs yet another title run.
“I will positively struggle once more this 12 months; I’ve to,” Masvidal mentioned. “I wished to compete lots. If I can not less than get one [more] struggle this 12 months, I will be joyful. If I can get two, which is uncertain, that might be cool.”
One title that surfaced as a attainable opponent was Nick Diaz, who was in attendance Saturday. Diaz has talked about avenging Masvidal’s win over his brother, Nate Diaz, in November 2019. However Masvidal mentioned he’ll take it straightforward for some time and will not rush again.
“Nick is a stud. However I’ll do it on my time, I do not care who it’s,” Masvidal mentioned. “I am not going to try this proper now, but when Nick does need to struggle towards the top of this 12 months, what can I say, I am right here.
“If you wish to do proper in your brother, let’s go. I heard he wasn’t too eager on what I did to his little brother, and neither would I. I really feel for Nick in that scenario, I do know what I’d need to do if somebody did that to my little brother. So let’s go.”