Jorge Masvidal’s new contract with UFC ‘pays him like a champion,’ agent says

LAS VEGAS — Jorge Masvidal has signed a brand new contract with the UFC simply days earlier than one of many greatest fights of his lengthy profession.

Phrases of the deal weren’t disclosed, however Masvidal’s co-agent, Malki Kawa of First Spherical Administration, introduced Thursday on social media that Masvidal penned an extension that may make him one of many top-five highest-paid fighters on the UFC roster.

Masvidal, who has been a professional fighter since 2003, fights his former greatest good friend and roommate Colby Covington in a heated grudge match Saturday at UFC 272 at T-Cell Enviornment.

Kawa wrote on Instagram that Masvidal’s deal was signed after 5 months of negotiations with UFC chief enterprise officer Hunter Campbell.

Masvidal, 37, has change into one of many greatest stars in MMA after a late-career renaissance that was jump-started in 2019 with knockouts of Darren Till and Ben Askren and a TKO win over Nate Diaz. Masvidal’s five-second working knee KO of Askren was the quickest end in UFC historical past.

“His contract pays him like a champion after which some,” Kawa, who represents Masvidal alongside along with his brother Abe Kawa, informed ESPN. “And the size of time will likely be that he’ll end his profession within the UFC.”

Masvidal (35-15) has dropped two straight, each in UFC welterweight title fights in opposition to Kamaru Usman, ESPN’s high pound-for-pound fighter. A Miami native, he has been within the UFC for 9 years. Masvidal fought all around the world earlier than that and started his profession doing yard combating in South Florida alongside the likes of the late Kimbo Slice.

On the UFC 272 information convention Thursday, Masvidal famous that he will likely be getting a portion of the pay-per-view income from the cardboard, whereas Covington, his opponent, is not going to. Covington has mentioned this combat, due to how private it’s, just isn’t in regards to the cash.

“My children’ children are gonna be good for a very long time,” Masvidal mentioned of his new contract. “So that you promote that pay-per-view, boy.”