Jorge Masvidal is the original BMF. The Cuban-American beat Nate Diaz via doctor stoppage for the title in 2019. Although ‘Gamebred’ never won a championship, he was an exciting fighter. His exceptional striking saw him take the then-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman to the judges’ scorecard. However, he retired earlier this year, and has dedicated himself full-time to fight promotion.

The 38- year-old was seen at UFC 291, which saw Justin Gaethje take on Dustin Poirier for the BMF belt. Masvidal was present to pass on the title to the winner, Gaethje. In an interview given after the event, he revealed what his life had been like before meeting Kimbo Slice.

Jorge Masvidal reveals what life was like before he met Kimbo Slice

Masvidal used to fight in Kimbo Slice’s backyard fights on YouTube before his professional career. In a chat with Youtuber Nina Drama, he revealed what his life was like before meeting Slice. The Cuban-American had escaped from Cuba in a makeshift raft when he was just 15. He told Nina Drama that before he met Slice, he would go from gym to gym in Miami and train with people there. He pointed out that there were a lot of good strikers in the city due to a lot of champions and Olympians from Cuba having moved there, but there was not much Jiu-Jitsu or wrestling in those gyms.

Trending

“Colby Called the Cops” – Ryan Garcia Teaching Covington His Boxing Secrets Leaves Combat World in Splits

April 28, 2024 07:49 AM EDT

Israel Adesanya Responds After Shaquille O’Neal Brands Two-Time Champ “Greatest Athletes Ever” Along With Jon Jones and Kamaru Usman

April 27, 2024 07:23 AM EDT

How Much of BKFC Does Conor McGregor Own? All We Know About the UFC Star’s Deal With David Feldman’s Promotion

April 28, 2024 11:53 AM EDT

“Dana White Has Decided to Not Give Belal the Title Shot” – MMA World Erupt as Steve Erceg’s UFC 301 Stat Leaves Fans in Splits

April 29, 2024 06:28 AM EDT

Sad Truth Behind Mike Tyson’s Rumored $20 Million Purse Against Jake Paul Revealed by Colby Covington

April 29, 2024 09:02 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest UFC stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

“I was just training uh gym to gym. Wherever I found out that they were training MMA or wrestling or they had good level striking. I got lucky that I grew up in Miami and there was a lot of high-level strikers… but it wasn’t too much wrestling and Jiu Jitsu in the beginning so I would seek that” he said.

Despite Michael Jackson’s Superstardom, Jorge Masvidal Claims MMA Icon Kimbo Slice’s Popularity Is More Than the Popstar’s Almost Decades Ago

He mentioned how he met Slice in a gym by accident and the latter’s team asked him to one of the backyard fights, which kicked off his fighting career. “And, um, one thing led to another. Me and Kimbo were at the same gym, and his Camp invited me to go to one of the backyard [fights] and boom,” he told Nina.

Who was Kimbo Slice?

Kimbo Slice gained popularity in the mid 2000s after videos of his street fights got popular on YouTube. He was signed by the UFC after making his way up through The Ultimate Fighter. Although he had an uneventful stint at the UFC, he continued to enjoy a large fan following, acquired in his days as a street brawler. In 2016, Kimbo Slice passed away due to congestive heart failure at 42 years of age.

Kimbo Slice was a unique fighter who cannot be judged by his record alone. Even though his professional career consisted of only seven fights (in which he was 5-2), he was able to capture the imaginations of many people on YouTube and turned them towards combat sports.

Watch this story: When Is the UFC HW GOAT Decider Fight Between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic