The BMF Fight: A New Era Started by the Old

The BMF Fight: A New Era Started by the Old

By James Lee

Since the announcement that the UFC 244 main event between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal would contest for the ‘Baddest MF Title’, fans and fighters have questioned its validity and status.

Their professional records don’t tally to that of who would typically be called one of the sport’s best, or the BMF gesture in fact. But critically, they don’t have to be.

The title centers around the art of not giving a fuck, both inside and more importantly outside of the octagon.

It is an ability to say f..k you to the system and create a worldwide following in doing so. The pair personify that to a tee.

Notoriously they don’t abide by typical UFC standards, but are some of the few who are allowed to do so and are praised for it because they bring something different.

That thing is that whenever they compete, it always brings what the UFC strive for in every event. Excitement.

The levels of excitement for UFC 244 is higher than any fight card this year and worthy of headlining the UFC’s 500th live event.

Last Thursday and Friday’s events with Nate Diaz claiming he wouldn’t fight until his USADA situation was cleared up was the ultimate BMF move and the definition of his lack of giving a f..k that fans are attracted to.

He was willing to say I’m not fighting with it lingering. You will clear it up prior or forget the event. There are very few, if any, other fighter who is willing to do that and go against what he is advised.

That is a real ‘needle-mover’. To have the company scrambling around with a week to go in the biggest blockbuster event of the year.

In all of this, whether intentionally or not, Diaz has drummed up the fight hype by a ton with the confusion and thousands more will be tuning in because of the publicity.

All publicity is seen as a good thing, but in Diaz’s world, he cares about his legacy and the right thing, regardless of the reaction from the UFC.

Unlike other fighters, Diaz and Masvidal don’t have a specific group following them whenever they fight. They have a contingency of followers across the sport as their fighting style wouldn’t allow anything otherwise.

When the two meet on November 2nd, the fighting world will be split, but in a sense, they will be united.

United in the acceptance that they can feel satisfied for the winner, regardless of who that may be.

The story of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal wasn’t supposed to be like this. It isn’t supposed to be like this for people from the areas they are from.

Typically, they wouldn’t be a headliner at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show, so the fact they are, satisfaction can be taken from that whatever the end result.

The fans enjoy both fighting styles and personalities so it is truly only the spectacle that should matter.

Both will go forward from the opening bell with a punch-heavy style that should guarantee the fight that fans have asked for.

It will forever stand out amongst very few pay-per-view main events that are different. Different because they have proved the UFC don’t always need champions and rankings to sell fights.

Well put together narratives are what sell and this is the best narrative currently because people are invested in the controversy.

Fans love to see the most excitement and the BMF shtick allows that. Going forward, keeping the baddest MF name, not belt, could add intrigue to the sport with those from featherweight to welterweight likely to want to fight each other, with rankings the last thing on their mind.

There are multiple fighters who could contest the victor with fighters like Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, Donald Cerrone, Max Holloway and more all viable names to fight for the throne.

Not the best in the world, but the toughest and most exciting. The ultimate fan-favourite where records are irrelevant and it centers around who can make the other break first. Just an attempt to finish one another from the opening bell.

Nate Diaz vs Jorge Masvidal at Madison Square Garden this Saturday is the start of a new era, started by the last members of the old era.

A fight to determine the ‘baddest MF’ in their eyes. But most importantly, the fight signifies a change.

Two men who wouldn’t typically headline and draw mainstream attention who deservingly are.