Daniel Cormier doesn’t want to see newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards fight Jorge Masvidal – or even acknowledge him.
Cormier has advised Edwards to give Masvidal a taste of his own medicine and not give “Gamebred” any shine now that he’s champion. The UFC Hall of Famer thinks it’s time for Edwards to “big league” Masvidal now.
“Bro, don’t fight him,” Cormier said on his “DC & RC” ESPN show. “Because for two years, when he was the man, he could not say your name. Now all of a sudden he’s like, ‘If you become the champ,’ he wants to put an end to this thing? He should not fight Jorge Masvidal. He literally should just big league him and not even say his name. Because why would you do that when a guy snuck you backstage but then never fought you? Now all of a sudden, you’re the man, and he wants to fight you.
“I like Jorge Masvidal a lot. He’s a really good dude, but it’s like, come on, Jorge. We’ve got to do better than that.”
Edwards dethroned Kamaru Usman with a vicious last-minute head kick at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City. And with the title win came many fighters calling his name, including Masvidal – and his managers, Malki and Abe Kawa of First Round Management.
Edwards and Masvial never have faced each other in the octagon, but they do have plenty of history. During Masvidal’s rise to stardom back in 2019, the two had a backstage altercation that went viral, with Masvidal landing the infamous “three piece and a soda” on Edwards.
Afterward, Masvidal went on to become one of the biggest names in the UFC and often ignored his callouts as he fought the likes of Ben Askren and Nate Diaz before losing back-to-back title fights to Usman. Masvidal was scheduled to fight Edwards last year at UFC 269 but ended up withdrawing from the fight.
Masvidal apparently didn’t take kindly Cormier’s remarks and went at him on Twitter.
“Guess you’re still butt hurt since I didn’t do the interview you requested on your weak YouTube channel during my fight week,” Masvidal tweeted. “I know you needed my name to produce some sort of views since Ariel went solo, and you became a has been.
“Just make sure when Dana calls and you tells you to promote the biggest fight the current champ can make in the division, which is me, wear your best suit from DXL and make sure you do as you’re told like a good boy. Maybe you’ll get a treat from your master #reasonpeoplewatchonmute #fakelifecoach #brokeadvice”
Guess you’re still butt hurt since I didn’t do the interview you requested on your weak YouTube channel during my fight week. I know you needed my name to produce some sort of views since Ariel went solo and you became a has been. Just make sure when Dana calls and you tells 1/2
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) August 24, 2022
To which Cormier replied shortly after, sticking to his comments and also accusing Masvidal’s manager, Malki Kawa, of tweeting from Masvidal’s Twitter account.
“Jorge you’ve always been the man, Malik [sic] stay off his page,” Cormeir wrote. “I stand by what I said. You don’t get unlimited title fights Malki, beat Durinho get to 1-3 in last 4 and maybe get a title shot. See Malki now you got me disrespecting my friend Jorge 😊”
Jorge you’ve always been the man, Malik stay off his page. I stand by what I said. You don’t get unlimited title fights Malki, beat Durinho get to 1-3 in last 4 and maybe get a title shot. See Malki now you got me disrespecting my friend Jorge 😊 https://t.co/DLJjIfIOUJ
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 24, 2022
