UFC 244: What You Need to Know About Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz

Fans of the UFC will finally get an answer to who the "Baddest Motherf---er" really is when Jorge Masdival and Nate Diaz collide in front of a screaming audience. The two MMA titans are headlining UFC 244 pay-per-view Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in NYC, and the buildup for their bout has already been electrifying. Along with the big egos of both contenders, they'll be joined by The Rock for a promotional aspect that has brought a ton of attention to the fight.

The 'BMF' Title

UFC 244 will debut a brand new belt known as the "BMF." The belt literally stands for "Bad Motherf---er" and will be a one-and-done honor given to the winner of the welterweight fight between Jorge Masdival and Nate Diaz.

UFC honcho Dana White just debuted the belt, which he described as "ominous" and "dark." The belt is covered in black diamonds and includes a tribute to UFC 244 and the organization's 500th event. It also features an inscription making it clear the belt is 1 of 1.

The belt is reportedly worth around $50,000. White admitted, "We traditionally wouldn't headline a card without a title fight," but he really wanted to know "Who is the BMF in the game."

WWE Crossover?

Some have criticized the belt as being a marketing stunt and likened it to a WWE-style move, but the fans seem to have been loving the storyline. Perhaps the WWE vibe is coming from the presenter of the "BMF" belt -- The Rock. Dwayne Johnson is excited to put the belt around the winner's waist tonight and is already prepping for the moment on Instagram.

Jorge Masvidal

34-year-old Jorge Masvidal hails from Miami, FL and gained Internet fame back in the day for his street fight videos with the late Kimbo Slice. Masvidal soon began training for a professional career in MMA and has risen through the ranks.

His current professional record is 34-13, including a devastating flying knee knockout against Ben Askren at UFC 239. The move earned Masvidal the fastest knockout in UFC history at just 5 seconds and instantly skyrocketed him to MMA fame.

Nate Diaz

34-year-old Nate Diaz was famously born and raised in Stockton, CA and trained along with his brother, UFC legend Nick Diaz. In 2007, Diaz emerged the winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 5" the fighting competition reality TV show, which was produced by the UFC. Diaz went on to have a controversial career in the UFC, marred by suspensions and bouts of inactivity, but in 2016 he came back in a big way during a series of fights with Conor McGregor.

Diaz came away with a victory at UFC 196 after submitting McGregor in the second round via rear-naked choke. However, "The Notorious" came back at UFC 202 and walked away with the win after going the distance with Diaz in an impressive rematch that was awarded "Fight of the Night."

Diaz is also a huge proponent of CBD and Cannabis and caused a dust-up in the UFC when he smoked a CBD vape pen during the UFC 202 post-fight press conference. He was not sanctioned and the USADA changed their rules and lifted CBD from the banned list not long after the incident.

Madison Square Garden

UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz will go down Saturday November 2, 2019 at Madison Sauare Garden in New York City, New York. The event will also be a huge milestone for the UFC as their 500th live event.

Along with Masvidal and Diaz, there are 4 other big fights on the main card.

The pay-per-view card airs on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The action begins at 7 PM.