Jorge Masvidal is shedding light on his ongoing feud with Chael Sonnen, claiming the tension stems from Sonnen losing a TV hosting job to him.
In an exclusive interview with TMZ Sports, Masvidal explained that the verbal sparring began when Sonnen dedicated segments of his podcast to criticizing him.
"I was just minding my business, and I see this guy is dedicating his podcast to me, 10-minute bits," Masvidal said. He later discovered the root of Sonnen's animosity: a hosting position on Paramount's Deep Waters MMA.
The show, which features Masvidal alongside Dustin Poirier, Din Thomas, and Chris Weidman, was a gig Sonnen had aggressively pursued. According to Masvidal, Sonnen tried to ingratiate himself with producers by bringing coffee, flowers, and chocolate—but it backfired.
"They told his ass we don't need you or want you here. Bam, he found out I'm the one who took that spot, he's got all types of venom coming out of his mouth," Masvidal recounted.
The two MMA stars have traded barbs for over a week, touching on topics like fighting prowess and weight. Masvidal even floated the idea of settling the score inside his Gamebred Fighting promotion, noting it could be a lucrative bout for Sonnen.
Meanwhile, Masvidal is focused on his upcoming Gamebred Fighting event in his hometown of Miami, headlined by MMA legend Yoel Romero. He called the homecoming a significant moment in his career.