What happens when a three-piece and a soda meets a red panty night? We might be about to find out, after UFC star Jorge Masvidal reportedly indicated he will only accept two possible opponents for his next fight in the octagon.
Mixed martial arts veteran Masvidal has shot to fame in recent months, first defeating Darren Till with a sensational one-punch knockout in London and then following it up with the quickest KO in UFC history by needing just five seconds to dispatch the previously undefeated Ben Askren earlier this month at UFC 239 - and next up he is in search of a payday.
Also on rt.com 'Ben’s still sleeping': Masvidal goads 'bum' Askren after record-breaking KO at UFC 239As indicated by his manager Abe Kawa and repeated by Malki Kawa on Twitter, Masvidal says he will only accept a return date to the UFC's cage on his own terms, with a title shot against 170lb champion Kamaru Usman or a 'money fight' with Conor McGregor apparently the only acceptable options.
"Just confirmed @GamebredFighter next fight will be either for the championship (if Usman accepts) or @TheNotoriousMMA (if he accepts). Those are the only 2 fights he is taking," Kawa indicated on Twitter.
Masvidal's two most recent wins have catapulted the American Top Team competitor near the summit of the rankings at 170lbs.
While the idea of capitalizing on recent good results is hardly a new concept in mixed martial arts, or combat sports for that matter, placing oneself into a position where only one or two options are acceptable can often lead to stalemate between the fighter and the organization he fights for.
Nate Diaz, for example, hasn't fought since the second of his lucrative pair of fights with Conor McGregor three years ago, with his contract requests reported to have proved to be a considerable stumbling block.
Diaz returns to action in one month's time at UFC 241 in an MMA landscape in which a trilogy bout with the Irishman isn't as big-money a fight as it may have once been.
Also on rt.com UFC 239: Khabib team tells Nate Diaz to 'stand in line' after altercationWhether or not Masvidal backs himself into a corner with these negotiation tactics remains to be seen, but McGregor's future is uncertain and Colby Covington is thought to have at least an equal chance of next facing Usman, meaning this could be the beginning of an extended absence for Masivdal just as he hits the absolute heights of his global popularity.