UFC 244 was a great example of how awesome things can happen when UFC says yes to its fighters. Nate Diaz suggested a fight with Masvidal would be for the “Baddest Motherf**ker” title and boom: UFC went ahead and made it a real belt. Masvidal then suggested Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the perfect person to give the belt to the winner. And holy shit, UFC went ahead and sorted that out, too!
It probably helped that “The Rock” had some pretty big mixed martial arts (MMA)-related news to announce: as we rolled into fight weekend, he revealed that he would be producing and starring in a movie based on former MMA champion / cautionary tale Mark Kerr. You may remember Kerr from such documentaries as “The Smashing Machine,” which covered Kerr’s dizzying highs in UFC and PRIDE alongside his suicidal lows from steroid and drug abuse.
So UFC 244 was a perfect bit of promotional synergy, and “The Rock” clearly loved every minute of it ... well, he clearly shared everyone’s disappointment with the way the fight between Masvidal and Diaz ended.
Promise kept. @TheRock wraps the #BMF belt around @GamebredFighter's waist. #UFC244 pic.twitter.com/y5Q5JvhMmL
— UFC (@ufc) November 3, 2019
Look at that grimace. Is he shaking his head as he wraps the belt around Masvidal’s waist?
Don’t worry, Jorge. Any negative energy was directed at the NYSAC doctor who ended the fight between the third and fourth rounds, not either of the fighters. “The Rock” is still in your corner ... perhaps a little too in your corner, according to Nate Diaz. And now Dwayne’s put out a statement on UFC 244 weekend and it’s full of love.
”Goosebumps,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “My big ass smile is real, cos I feed off energy and this UFC crowd BLEW THE ROOF off Madison Square Garden and embraced me as one of their own. And when I raised this BMF Title up high - the fans took the electricity to ANOTHER LEVEL. Insane.”
”Thank you Dana White, UFC, all the fighters, coaches and especially the MMA fans for allowing me the honor to be part of your world. All love. All respect. See you down the road.”
He followed that up with two more messages.
“Gamebred looked sharp in that octagon,” Johnson wrote. “Evolved skill set. Rare air. Promise kept. The Baddest Muthaf*cka on the planet.”
”Away from all the noise, good to have a quiet moment,” he wrote. “I’m always impressed with an individual’s discipline and commitment to succeed. But I’m impressed more with how one handles their success and that level of intense pressure to be #1. Congrats Jorge Masvidal for being that example, raising the bar and getting the job done.”
”My goal was to help promote this fight as much as I could in hopes that Jorge, Nate and all the fighters could make as much money as possible at the Garden - that was completely sold out. Congrats! Thanks brotha for having the brilliant idea to have me present the BMF Title to you. Always got you.
”Hardest workers in the room,” he concluded. “BMF in the game. Now go destroy some MF’n cheat meals!”
Based on Jorge Masvidal’s two-slice pizza scarfing method we witnessed during the post-event press conference, he’s way ahead of you on that one, Rock.
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