Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal will headline November’s UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden, reported by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto via Dana White.
Outside situations where late injuries have caused a change, this will be the first UFC pay-per-view headliner in years where the scheduled main event is not for a title. White told Okamoto he is going to create a “BMF” belt for the winner and there will be no title fights as co-main event.
After a three year layoff, Diaz returned to action with an impressive August decision win over Anthony Pettis while Masvidal is coming off the fastest knockout in UFC history with his flying knee to Ben Askren’s face in July. Diaz called out Masvidal following his win and both fans and media pushed for the bout as next for both men.
UFC had been trying to put together a title fight between welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and top challenger Colby Covington and then Usman vs. Masvidal but ran into negotiation snags. It’s expected the Masvidal-Diaz winner will be next in line for a title shot.
Last year’s MSG main event was put together just a few weeks before the show with then-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier taking on Derrick Lewis. Cormier was nursing a hand injury and Lewis had just competed and won the month prior.