UFC 244, held at Madison Square Garden, was headlined by a highly anticipated welterweight bout between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. The event was significant, marking the UFC's 500th event. After his UFC 241 win against former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, Diaz proclaimed himself the "baddest motherfucker in the game" and issued a challenge to Masvidal, setting the stage for a memorable clash.
UFC 244 Poster
Background and Build-up
The anticipation for UFC 244 was immense, with the winner of the Diaz-Masvidal bout set to receive the "BMF" belt. However, the event wasn't without its share of drama. Nate Diaz claimed he failed a drug test, casting doubt on whether the fight would proceed. Fortunately for fans, the UFC 244 main event of Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz was still on.
Breakdown and Analysis of UFC 244: Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz
Weigh-in Controversies
The weigh-ins for UFC 244 were not without incident. Former Invicta FC Flyweight Champion Jennifer Maia weighed in at 127.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit of 126 pounds. Further, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) announced they would pursue disciplinary action against Kelvin Gastelum after reviewing his weigh-in video and determining he made contact with another person while on the scale, violating the weigh-in policy.
Fight Details and Round-by-Round Analysis
Masvidal started the fight with a faked flying knee, earning a nod and a laugh from Diaz. After a brief clinch, Masvidal opened a cut on Diaz with short elbows and dropped him with a kick, inflicting further damage as Diaz tried to recover. Masvidal continued to connect with elbows, while Diaz returned fire, exciting the crowd.
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In the second round, Diaz came forward, but Masvidal showcased his counterstriking, landing clean shots. Masvidal continued to pick Diaz apart, clinching and landing heavy body shots and knees. By the third round, Diaz had a busted mouse under his right eye and a cut above it. Despite this, he continued to engage, but Masvidal's shots were clearly doing more damage. The fourth round began with the doctor checking on the cut over Diaz’s right eye.
The fight was stopped in the third round because Diaz had too much damage to his eye. Official Result: Jorge Masvidal def.
Aftermath
On November 8, it was announced that Corey Anderson had been fined $10,000 by the NYSAC for "unsportsmanlike and disorderly conduct" for taunting and screaming at Johnny Walker and shoving the referee away during his post-fight celebration. Stephen Thompson vs. Vicente Luque was awarded Fight of the Night.
Diaz vs. Masvidal Rematch
Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal met again, but this time in the boxing ring. Diaz won via majority decision with one of the judges scoring a draw while the other two called Diaz the winner of the fight, which went the 10-round distance. The pair threw more than 1,400 punches in the 10-round fight.
Fighter Stats
Here's a comparison of the two fighters' stats:
Read also: A Look at Nick Diaz's Fights
| Statistic | Nate Diaz | Jorge Masvidal |
|---|---|---|
| MMA Record | 21-13-0 | 35-17-0 |
| Boxing Record | 0-1 | 1-0 |
| Reach | 76 inches | 74 inches |
| Height | 6-feet | 5-feet-11 inches |
| Net Worth (Approx.) | $8 million | $6 million |
| Age | 39 years | 39 years |
Additional Bouts
- Chris Avila dominated Anthony Pettis, winning his seventh-straight fight.
- Curmel Motin stopped Nikolai Buzolin in the second round.
- Amado Vargas stopped Sean Garcia in Round 6.
- Devin Cushing defeated Manny Correa via unanimous decision.
- Luis Lopez defeated Alan Sanchez via unanimous decision.
- Gabriel Aguilar Costa defeated Steven Dunn via second-round KO.
Read also: Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz: What Could Have Been