Jorge Masvidal would rather take a big-money fight against Conor McGregor in his next bout than get a title shot against welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.
"I know my management without a doubt would say, and I would also say, the Conor fight," Masvidal said on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on Monday. "We'll go get the money, because the Conor fight is not always going to be there. [Usman] is always going to be there. Somebody is always going to have that belt."
McGregor returns to the Octagon on Jan. 18 to take on Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at UFC 246 in Las Vegas, and Masvidal said there's a better-than-90% chance he'll be there.
"Yeah, why not, if he's a future opponent, why not study him in a live format, see little things that maybe on the camera are not apparent," Masvidal said. "There's different things I can definitely pick up in the real world."
Masvidal had a breakthrough 2019, his 16th year in MMA, and he plans on parlaying that into the most lucrative fights he can find in 2020.
"[McGregor] is a two-time division champion, he has an impressive record and he comes to fight, so in that aspect, yes [I want that fight]," Masvidal said. "And we're both going to sell out wherever we fight and there's going to be violence. But if the dude doesn't want to fight, I'm not a bully, so go do your thing. If he doesn't want this, I don't give a f--- then. You want to fight, you don't want to fight, but don't flirt with me. You want it or you don't. Leave me alone if you don't."
McGregor told TheMacLife.com recently that he would fight Masvidal, but that's not the only reason he's fighting Cerrone at the welterweight limit of 170. McGregor also talked about possibly going after Usman's belt.
"And he's talking about he wants the title fight with Usman, no, at [170]? I'm [in] the way," Masvidal said. "I decide when Usman will fight, who he will fight, all of that. Everybody knows that. He might be the one with the f---ing belt, but I'm the one calling the shots."
If the McGregor fight doesn't materialize, Masvidal would be more than happy to go after Usman's belt. He said he wants to show his peers that he's the best in the division.
Masvidal said as far as possibly fighting Nick Diaz, he's not sure of Diaz's status.
"I always wanted to fight Nick, but here's the thing: Is Nick cleared from USADA? Is he good on the UFC terms? All these things have to spin in motion," Masvidal said. "When they tell me all these things are right and he's ready to go, I'm ready to go. I'm here to fight."