Should 41-year-old Jorge Masvidal UFC Comeback Fight Be vs. Leon Edwards?
Long-time MMA superstar Jorge Masvidal has confirmed that he is in talks with the UFC for a comeback fight after over three years away from the sport.
Masvidal, who is now 41 years old, retired from mixed martial arts following a unanimous decision loss to Gilbert Burns in April 2023, a defeat that marked his fourth straight loss inside the Octagon.
After stepping away from MMA, Masvidal entered the boxing ring and fought fellow UFC legend Nate Diaz in July 2024, losing that fight via unanimous decision.
“Gamebred” has not fought in any combat sport since, but now, in late 2026, he says a comeback is imminent.
“I’ve been talking to the UFC. Could be this year, could be early next year. We’ve been talking for a little bit, and the numbers are getting closer and closer and better and better. So there might be some big news coming soon. Nothing worth mentioning yet, waiting for the right names and stuff. Once they give me the right name and the right number attached to that, you’ll see your boy right back over here at the T-Mobile Arena (in Las Vegas),” Masvidal told MMAjunkie.com.
So, who could Masvidal fight in his UFC comeback bout? Let’s examine.
Jorge Masvidal Grudge Match With Leon Edwards
The fight that makes the most sense for Masvidal is undoubtedly a grudge match against former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, a fight that is over seven years in the making.
In March 2019, Masvidal knocked out Darren Till at UFC London in an upset. After the fight, he was conducting a backstage interview when Edwards walked by and chirped at him. That led to the two coming to blows behind the scenes, with Masvidal famously landing his “three-piece with a soda” combination of punches on Edwards.
For whatever reason, the UFC never booked this fight between Masvidal and Edwards, but it’s a matchup that fight fans have always wanted to see.
Now, in 2026, this fight seems closer than ever, and it’s one that the UFC should do everything in its power to book.
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With Masvidal coming off four straight losses and with Edwards, the former UFC welterweight champion, coming off three straight defeats himself, both fighters are basically in the same spot in the division right now.
Therefore, it’s time that the UFC pays up and gets this fight booked, because both men are currently free and available to take the fight, and if it’s only a matter of money, then that shouldn’t be a problem for the UFC, which prints money these days.
Get it done, UFC, because this is the fight that both fighters want, and it’s the fight that all the fans want to see — there’s no excuse not to.
Other Possible Jorge Masvidal Opponents
While Edwards is the matchup that makes, by far, the most sense for Masvidal right now, there are, of course, other potential options for him.
Though Masvidal is 41 and hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2023, he remains one of the biggest names in the sport and someone who knows how to sell a fight with his mouth.
Therefore, the UFC can book a big fight with him against anyone in the weight class, but since he gets paid a lot, the promotion has to book him against another star.
Taking a look at the weight class, the best options for Masvidal seem to be fights against former UFC champions.
If it’s not Edwards, then matchups against Jack Della Maddalena or Belal Muhammad, two former UFC welterweight champions who are coming off two straight and three straight losses, respectively, both make sense.
It’s not even out of consideration that the UFC books a trilogy bout featuring Masvidal and Kamaru Usman, another former UFC welterweight champion, even though Usman has beaten Masvidal twice. Their first two fights sold a ton of pay-per-views, and a third fight would likely generate a ton of fan interest, even though both men are in the waning ages of their respective MMA careers.
The UFC matchmakers could also potentially book Masvidal against someone in a “fun fight,” like Daniel Rodriguez or Uros Medic.
But since Masvidal is going to make a ton of money for his UFC comeback, it is far more likely he goes up against a former champion or big-name star in his return to the Octagon, which appears to be imminent.
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This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Aug 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.