Daniel Cormier would like to see Jorge Masvidal take a step back.
Masvidal (35-16 MMA, 12-9 UFC) is currently on a three-fight losing skid, two coming against UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
His most recent setback was a lopsided unanimous decision to arch rival Colby Covington at UFC 272 in March, and Cormier thinks Masvidal’s next fight won’t be against a big name.
“Jorge Masvidal is gonna find himself in a position now where he’s gonna be fighting guys that have a little bit less name value than what he has fought before,” Cormier said on the latest episode of “DC & RC” podcast on ESPN. “Just very recently he was arguing with somebody online, but he told him that they weren’t worthy of the fight because they’re not known. I’m not exactly sure who it was but Masvidal was going back and forth with someone, and I believe that it has to be someone at that level.”
Cormier suggested two names with momentum on their side: Undefeated Sean Brady (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and Kevin Holland (23-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who picked up his second finish since moving back down to 170 pounds when he choked out Tim Means at UFC on ESPN 37 this past weekend.
“It’s going to be a rising contender,” Cormier added. “A guy like a Sean Brady. Those types of guys that are on their way up. Maybe a Kevin Holland who is now starting to make some waves at 170 pounds. He’s gonna have to start fighting guys that are on the way up. I think right now because of the three losses in a row and the way in which has has lost, it’s time for him to either rebuild by beating these young up and comers or you start to open the door for some of these young guys to break in to the top five so I’m saying a young guy.”
However, it appears that Brady and Holland could be angling to throw down with each other, after Brady expressed interest in a fight and Holland responded.