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The man with the fastest knockout in UFC history said he wants to break Conor McGregor's face for 'an easy paycheck'

Jul 12, 2019, 14:37 IST

AP Photo/Eric Jamison

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Jorge Masvidal, the man with the fastest knockout in UFC history, said he wants to break Conor McGregor's face for "an easy paycheck."

Floridian fighter Masvidal, battle-hardened from 47 professional bouts, first fought in UFC in 2013. He has gone on to record notable wins over Michael Chiesa, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, and Darren Till, but has also suffered losses to Al Iaquinta, Benson Henderson, Lorenz Larkin, and Stephen Thompson.

Masvidal's most recent fight, a Saturday bout against the previously unbeaten wrestler Ben Askren at UFC 239, saw him enjoy an explosion in popularity as he hurled himself across the cage, landed a flying knee on Askren's face, and knocked the American out in a matter of seconds. He then taunted his unconscious opponent on the floor of the cage.

Read more: It's becoming increasingly apparent that Jorge Masvidal's 5 second knockout win was completely rehearsed in the gym

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The stunning knockout earned Masvidal a "Performance of the Night" bonus, will likely see him scoop the "Knockout of the Year" award, and puts him firmly in the welterweight world championship conversation.

While a title shot against the champion Kamaru Usman could be in Masvidal's future, the 34-year-old has turned his attention to McGregor, an inactive athlete who has not won a UFC fight since 2016.

"I want McGregor," Masvidal said on the Dan Le Batard show, on ESPN. "I want to break his face. I think that's an easy paycheck."

McGregor has been one of the UFC's most marketable athletes and has competed in some of the best-selling events in combat sports history. He was this week named one of the highest-paid celebrities in the world by Forbes, despite only competing in one fight in the last 12 months, which he lost.

"He's got these cash symbols written all over his face for me," Masvidal said, adding: "I just don't see it going his way if I'm honest with you."

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Read more: Conor McGregor's fall has been as sharp as his monumental rise, and it's unlikely he'll retire on such a humiliating low

McGregor, like Masvidal, has one of the fastest knockout wins in UFC history on his record - a 13-second destruction of Jose Aldo.

Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

But since then, McGregor has only won twice, having lost twice in the UFC, while also losing his one boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather. In 2016, he was submitted by Nate Diaz with a rear-naked choke. Last year, Khabib Nurmagomedov made him tap via a tight neck crank.

Masvidal mocked McGregor for the nature of these defeats. "He backs down. He taps. I've never tapped in my whole entire career. He's tapped a couple times so that's backing down in my book. It's something I've never done and I feel like I'd break him. It would be an easy fight."

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But Masvidal remains keen on a title shot. "Kamaru Usman interests me," he said. "He's got the title and that's what I want but he's always having injuries.

"I'm happy with either/or. I think Conor's a bigger check so I wouldn't mind Conor."

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