When welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz step into the cage for the UFC 244 main event this November, there will a belt on the line. But it won’t be the undisputed welterweight title. It won’t even be an interim title. Instead, it will be the newly-created “baddest motherf**ker in the game” belt — as confirmed by UFC President Dana White.
So how will this belt work? Will the winner defend the title? White explained the plan for this new title at the UFC 242 post-fight press conference.
Apparently, the BMF belt will be a one-off. The UFC 244 winner will not defend it.
“No. It’s a one-and-done,” White said when asked for clarification on how this title will be handled (via MMA Fighting). “Whoever wins, wins the belt and claims the title. ‘BMF.’”
White also added some clarity as to how this fight came together.
“This fight is one of those fights that sort of took on a life of its own,” White said. “Nate said in his interview [after being Anthony Pettis at UFC 241] this is a fight to see who’s the baddest motherf**cker in the game. He’s like, ‘That’s what this championship is.’ So alright, I’m in.”
The original, plan, of course, was to top the UFC 244 card with a welterweight title fight between champ Kamaru Usman and challenger Colby Covington. When this fight proved difficult to negotiate, however, it opened the door for this Masvidal vs. Diaz main event.
“That fight started to come together late last night and we got it done,” White said. “We offered Usman fights and they didn’t jump on it, so we rolled and we made another fight.”
What do you think of this explanation from Dana White? What are your thoughts on the UFC’s BMF belt? Which fighter do you think will have the belt wrapped around their waist by The Rock? Chime in in the comments section!
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/9/2019.