Jorge Masvidal Claims Kamaru Usman Turned Down Fight, 'Doesn't Want to Throw Hands'

Jorge Masvidal has had a whirlwind year, suddenly finding himself in the title picture at 170 pounds, and he has some not-so-flattering words for the man who currently sits atop his division, Kamaru Usman.

Masvidal has become one of the hottest fighters on the UFC roster this year thanks to spectacular knockouts of Darren Till in London and Ben Askren, coupled with the infamy of his backstage altercation with Leon Edwards and a full schedule of bluntly spoken interviews. The UFC is looking to cash in on Masvidal’s soaring popularity by pitting him against fan favorite Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden on November 2 for the “BMF” title .

“Gamebred” was in attendance for UFC Mexico over the weekend and spoke to reporters backstage about the current welterweight champion Usman who he said rejected his offer to fight him before claiming that he will “baptize him” when they finally meet (via MMAJunkie.com):

“Why do you think he said no, my brother?” Masvidal said. “That guy knows that I’m going to baptize him. That guy has never wanted to fight with me. That guy can only do one thing right: smell balls good. He can’t fight. He has his face there. He doesn’t want to (throw hands), even when he has the chance to throw the hands, and when he has the guy on the floor, he doesn’t do anything.

“It’s not that I don’t have respect for wrestlers. I have a lot of respect to the community of wrestlers, like Khabib (Nurmagomedov). I have a lot of respect for him because he tries to finish fights, he tries to get his hands in there, he tries to choke people. Someone like Usman, I don’t respect his style at all. As a person, I don’t know him, and what I do know, it doesn’t interest me much about him.”

The 170-pound title picture is still up in the air, with UFC President Dana White last week claiming that No. 1 contender Colby Covington had turned down a title fight against Usman.