Chael Sonnen: Jorge Masvidal only returns to UFC for 'BMF' title fight vs. Justin Gaethje

Chael Sonnen only sees one scenario in which Jorge Masvidal returns to the UFC.

Masvidal (35-17 MMA, 12-10 UFC) took to social media to claim that he’s “unretired” but didn’t specify the exact plans of his comeback. “Gamebred” hung up his gloves this past April after suffering his fourth consecutive loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287.

If Masvidal’s return takes place in the octagon, Sonnen thinks it could be against “BMF” champion Justin Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) at UFC 300. Masvidal became the inaugural “BMF” champion when he stopped Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in 2019.

“There’s a one-in-a-million chance that he goes back, and if he got everything together and he got it all planned, he’s got a deal done behind the scenes that would have to be him vs. Gaethje at (170 pounds) for the ‘BMF,'” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.

“The only way you could make up for his retirement or that you could make up for the discrepancy within records is if you spot him the weight and you move Gaethje to 170 and you make it for a ‘BMF.'”

Sonnen sees Masvidal responding to Mike Perry’s BKFC callout as a more realistic option, but if not, perhaps fighting Gaethje to reclaim his “BMF” title, which “The Highlight” claimed with a knockout of Dustin Poirier at UFC 291, is the move.

“I know Masvidal is not going to fight in the UFC ever again, and that it is not his choice unless it’s at 300 for the belt against Gaethje,” Sonnen said. “I’m not predicting it for you. I’m all but guaranteeing you it’s not going happen.”