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Jorge Masvidal is one of the top names in the MMA world at the moment. Heading into UFC 244, the Gamebred fighter is set to take on Nate Diaz in possibly the biggest fight in 2019. Before the fight even took place, there were issues surrounding it with Nate Diaz revealing that he had been told that he had tested positive for substances.
Now, with the fight finally on, the fans are ready to see these two collide in the main event of UFC 244: Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz. Prior to the fight taking place, however, it is important to look back on the last fight of the Gamebred fighter, Jorge Masvidal vs Ben Askren at UFC 239.
What happened at UFC 239: Jorge Masvidal vs Ben Askren?
At UFC 239, Ben Askren was finally forced to back up all of what he had been saying since coming to UFC. His first fight in the company against Robbie Lawler had been nothing short of a disappointment.
Not only was the ending controversial, for most of the fight it was Lawler who had been dominating. The technical submission was one that Lawler disputed immediately, but the referee's decision was final and Askren was handed the win. Fans were not content with the finish and wanted there to be a better resolution. Unfortunately, Askren did not even seem open to a rematch.
Facing Jorge Masvidal in his next fight, Askren was suddenly confronted with reality. If his last fight had been conclusive, then this fight would have simply been looked at as his next challenge. Instead, the fight was still a test for him to prove himself to the UFC fans.
When he entered, he was ready for his usual wrestling offense and was heading in for a takedown. Instead, it was he who was taken down and knocked out immediately with a flying knee that Masvidal launched at him, as if from a cannon.
Within 5 seconds, the fight was over and Ben Askren was handed the first-ever defeat of his illustrious career.
Is Nate Diaz fighting Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244?
Yes, Nate Diaz is fighting Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244. Last week, there was a slight scare regarding the main event of the UFC event, with Diaz saying that he had been told that he had tested positive for drugs and as a result would be pulling out because he would not allow USADA to mar his name. The threat worked and it turned out that the levels of the substances found in his blood were insignificant and in no way would they affect the fight.
As a result, Diaz is now back fighting Masvidal, and the fight is definitely happening.
Why should Nate Diaz look at Ben Askren vs Jorge Masvidal as a lesson?
Nate Diaz is one of the most experienced fighters to enter a UFC Octagon. As a result, it is safe to assume that he studies his opponent in detail before the fight.
Does this mean he should be aware that Masvidal may very well launch a similar attack at the very beginning with a jumping knee?
No. By this time, Masvidal also knows a lot about his opponent. He will have styled his offense to match the offense of his opponent. When it came to Ben Askren, Masvidal knew that Askren would go for the takedown and caught him off-guard.
While Nate Diaz's ground-game is good, that does not mean he will follow the example of Askren and go for a takedown. What Diaz is known for is his relentless pressure in the Octagon, forcing his opponent back until they make a mistake.
Masvidal will have practiced his techniques in a manner as to neutralize this exact pressure. What Diaz can learn from Masvidal's fight with Askren is this: Jorge Masvidal knows and studies exactly what his opponent will do in the Octagon and focuses his techniques on that.
A sure way for Diaz to neutralize this would be to do something unexpected. Given Diaz's depth of techniques, this should not prove too difficult.
The two men will square off against each other at UFC 244 on November 2, Madison Square Garden.
ALSO READ: Exclusive Interview with Jorge Masvidal before UFC 244
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