Dana White Not Interested in Immediate Rematch Between Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz

In the immediate aftermath of the UFC 244 headliner, Jorge Masvidal was already doing some matchmaking. In the long run, Masvidal’s plans, though well intentioned, aren’t likely to come to fruition.

The battle for the “BMF” title at Madison Square Garden ended via a controversial doctor stoppage after three rounds, and neither Masvidal nor Nate Diaz — a victim of a nasty cut over his right eye — were especially satisfied with the result.

“For a fact, I told Nate right now, let’s run it back,” Masvidal said in the Octagon following his victory. “They gave me the love, I give it right back. UFC make it happen, let’s run it back. I don’t like to leave the ring like this with my opponent conscious.

“There’s only one way to do it and that’s to baptize them and I didn’t get to baptize Nate, so we’re going to run it back.”

However, UFC president Dana White seemingly has different plans in mind for Masvidal, who added Diaz to a list of victims in 2019 that also includes Ben Askren and Darren Till — all inside the distance.

“It [a rematch] doesn’t interest me right away. I got asked a couple questions tonight… if this fight had gone later and they didn’t stop it, what would happen? But it didn’t,” White said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “It got stopped with cuts, and Masvidal looked very dominant. He looked good all year; he’s had nothing but great fights all year.

“If anybody’s the fighter of 2019, it’s definitely that kid. I think he’s got some big options coming his way.”