In dictionary terms, a resurrection is an act of rising from the dead.
In the world of Jorge Masvidal, hyperbole allowing, it means a whole lot more.
When he steps into the Octagon early on Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi to take on current welterweight king Kamaru Usman he will be a step away from completing one of the most incredible stories the UFC has ever seen.
The fact he shouldn’t have even been on the card is typical of the journey, but for a positive Covid-19 test from Usman’s original opponent Gilbert Burns, Gamebred would be sat at home right now contemplating his next move.
It is a position he has been in a number of times. Whether that be down to the defeats that have punctuated his pro career, or the financial and contractual disputes that threatened to derail his current run, life has never been plain sailing for the Miami native.
Should he win at the weekend, Masvidal will set the record for the highest number of career fights before a title win in what would be his 49th bout.
In his 18-fight UFC stint, he has never been able to string more than three wins together. For every Ross Pearson, Jake Ellenberger, and Donald Cerrone, there has been a Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson to bring things crashing down.
His defeat to Wonderboy back in 2017 is, for now, something of a watershed moment.
The next time we would see Masvidal following that loss would be in London, in a fight very few wanted to take against Darren Till.
Till was ranked third in the division, a rising star, even coming off a title-fight defeat to Tyron Woodley.
A heavy underdog, Masvidal, was described as ‘experienced’ and a ‘wily veteran’ in the build up, generally, code for the old dog who is about to yield to the up and coming young buck.
Twelve seconds in and flat on his backside thanks to a trademark Till left hand, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was the beginning of the end both in the fight and potentially the career for Masvidal.
Around nine minutes later Till lay unconscious, stiff as a board, the victim of a vicious left hook, the first to be ‘baptised’ at Masvidal’s hands.
Adversity has not always been a friend, but on that night it was almost a microcosm of the years that has gone before him.
A backstage altercation with Leon Edwards and the birth of ‘a three-piece with soda’ only fuelled his cult following.
Next in line on the river bank was Ben Askren. On paper, not a great match-up for Gamebred, with a genuine fear he could be taken down and smothered by the superior wrestler.
The fastest knockout in UFC history flipped that narrative.
His description of the follow-up shots on a sleeping Askren as ‘super necessary’ has found its way into the lexicon of fight fans, and is a regular response among Twitter comments.
If you win fights in spectacular fashion, and break into the day-to-day conscious of fans whether that be with hot takes, repeatable lines, loud suits, or wearing robes to sit in the crowd at events, good things are going to happen.
Masvidal went from backstage to box office.
His November bout with Nate Diaz was one of the most anticipated in recent memory.
Another scintillating showing earned even greater respect and the title of the UFC’s BMF. Quite the crown.
In six days, however, he will have the opportunity to fight for an even more meaningful piece of gold.
Seventeen years and forty eight fights have led to this moment in Abu Dhabi.
We may be on Masvidal 5.0, version 2.0 passed many moons ago, but at 35 he has never been hotter.
His talent has been undeniable, a great counter-punching striker with a bomb of a left hand, but the focus now is laser guided.
Stepping in on six days notice is typical of the man who we all know is ‘ready to fight’, and is ready for another baptism.
