Finishing the Fight — UFC 251: A Look at Blessed, Gamebred, and Thug Rose

Jorge Masvidal UFC 239
Jorge Masvidal Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press

Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC)

Total Number of Pro MMA Finishes: 18

Via KO/TKO: 16

Via Submission: 2

Total Number of UFC Finishes: 7

Via KO/TKO: 6

(Nate Diaz, Ben Askren, Darren Till, Donald Cerrone, Jake Ellenberger and Cezar Ferreira)

Via Submission: 1

(Michael Chiesa)

Even though Jorge has had plenty of decisions victories in his MMA career, he is truly a dangerous finishing machine when he wants to be. Masvidal was on the wrong end of bad decision after bad decision early on his in UFC career, in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions.

It wasn’t until Masvidal vowed to start ‘baptizing’ fighters that he really went on one of the most devastating finishing streaks that the UFC’s welterweight division has ever seen. Masvidal has some of the most technical striking in the UFC, he has a very high fight IQ and has finished five huge names in the welterweight division since December of 2016. But Jorge looked at his scariest for the Darren Till knockout where he was able to maintain composure after being dropped early to come back and render Till unconscious in the second-most violent way possible. This, of course, opened the door to his record-setting KO against Ben Askren, which was not only the quickest and most violent stoppage most fans have seen but also a very technical one. Jorge had been practicing the flying knee in anticipation of opening the fight with it, after spotting a pattern in Ben Askren’s fighting style. The research and game plan worked flawlessly and Jorge is truly one of the great minds in MMA striking, and will finally get him the title shot he deserves at UFC 251.