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BY TODD MARTIN
JUL 11, 2019
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.
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Some mixed martial arts fans were likely introduced to Jorge Masvidal when he was fighting a protégé of Kevin Ferguson in a backyard. He wasn’t brought there to win, but he did. Other fans likely got their introduction to Masvidal when he fought Toby Imada in the early days of Bellator MMA. Imada’s inverted triangle submission was unique enough that it got picked up virally and was one of the most notable moments from that period in Bellator history.
Still other fans learned of Masvidal when he strung together a series of wins in Strikeforce and earned a title shot against Gilbert Melendez. Of course, some followers of the sport didn’t discover Masvidal until he reached the Ultimate Fighting Championship and fought some prominent names in the process. It feels hard to believe Masvidal has now fought 17 times in the Octagon.
Regardless of when fans first saw “Gamebred” over the course of his wide-ranging travels, the common denominator up until this year is that he likely didn’t make that much of an impression. That’s not to say his skills weren’t evident, because Masvidal has proved himself to be an excellent fighter in the sport’s deepest division. Moreover, he has a resolute toughness about him that has always been a defining characteristic. Even when Masvidal is losing, he just keeps coming and the best fighters in the world haven’t been able to stop him for over a decade. Masvidal has earned respect; it’s just that he has rarely jumped out as a star.
This tendency of Masvidal to blend in is part of why he has traveled so much. Not many fighters have competed for such an eclectic mix of promotions: Bodog, Strikeforce, Sengoku, Bellator, Shark Fights and the UFC to name a few. He has constantly been brought in as the opponent to test the skills of a star fighter but he has rarely been the focal point of a promotion. He has perpetually been a competitor other fighters aren’t eager to face because he’s difficult to beat and you don’t get the credit you deserve if you best him.
Read more at https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-16-Year-Overnight-Sensation-158213#OLkg9ty8RKSc6Qu5.99
