'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bellator's Paul Daley has hit out at the UFC's decision to create a new belt for this weekend's much-anticipated meeting between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal.
The creation of UFC's BMF TItle can be traced back to Nate Diaz's dominant win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 241. During his post-fight interview, Nate Diaz took it upon himself to call out Jorge Masvidal whilst claiming to be 'the baddest m**********r in the game'.
The UFC were quick to capitalise on the public's rabid enthusiasm for a fight between Diaz and Masvidal; booking the fight straight away and even commissioning the production of 'The Baddest M**********r Belt', which will be awarded to the winner by none other than Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.
Daley's View
The MMA community's excitement for Diaz vs Masvidal is as high as ever with the bout just days away, however, Bellator's Paul Daley is less impressed by the UFC's decision to create a bespoke title for this weekend's main event.
‘I’ve beat Jorge Masvidal, so he’s not the baddest m*********** out there, that’s for sure. The fact they’re making a belt for it is strange, almost WWE wrestling silliness. It is what it is. If we can just make our own belts, I’d be fighting for a title in my next fight.’ (Metro.co.uk)
It remains to be seen what the UFC's long term plan is for the BMF Belt after UFC 244 this weekend. Both Diaz and Masvidal have expressed interest in defending the belt in the future, but there has been no official on whether the belt will be a one-off prize or whether it will be defended like a normal belt.
UFC 244 will likely answer a lot of outstanding questions that surround the UFC's newest prize, and regardless of people's opinions on the BMF Belt, you can bet that the world will be watching as two of MMA's most explosive personalities clash at Madison Square Garden.
