MIAMI - Former UFC Fighter Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal shared on Saturday that he is considering a Florida State Senate run in District 39 if an opening is made available.
"I believe I could make a real difference in the State Senate—particularly in fighting the child sex trafficking which we all know is happening in Miami-Dade County," Masvidal said. "I am honored by the many citizens who are urging me to run if this opportunity presents itself, and I want everyone to know that I am thinking seriously and praying about it."
Senate District 39 is represented by Republican Bryan Avila. The area covers part of Miami-Dade County including Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Miami Springs, and Doral.
Masvidal mentioned Avila could be heading to the Miami-Dade County Commission after former commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera was nominated by President Donald Trump as the next U.S. ambassador to Panama.
The possible appointment, which would come from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, would create a special election in SD 39.
Born in Miami, Masvidal said he was "gratified" by the many people urging him to run if a special election were to occur.
Senate District 39 is a reliably red district with a Hispanic population of over 90%. Avila was easily reelected in SD 39 over Democratic candidate Charles Lewis I by 40 points last November.
Hialeah specifically has the highest percentage of Cuban and Cuban-American residents of any city in the United States at roughly 75%. Miami-Dade County also has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the country at 70%.
Masvidal, 40, is Cuban and a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. Trump credited Masvidal with his success in Miami-Dade County where he won by 11.5 points over Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump also became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Miami-Dade since George H.W. Bush in 1988.
Masvidal competed professionally in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) from 2003-2023. Over his 20-year career, he amassed a 35-17 record in the Welterweight and Lightweight divisions and won the symbolic UFC "BMF" Championship title over Nate Diaz in 2019.
He announced his retirement from UFC after losing to Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision for his fourth consecutive loss at UFC 287 in Miami. Although, Masvidal has hinted at a return in 2025, possibly at UFC 314 in Miami in April.
Masvidal first became known for his street fighting after competing in backyard brawls in Miami-Dade promoted by bare-knuckle fighter Kimbo Slice, which subsequently went viral.
However, he might be best known for his 5-second knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in 2019. Masvidal finished Askren with a flying knee, leaving him motionless in what is the fastest knockout in UFC history.
Editor's note: The Floridian has reached out to Masvidal on Instagram for comment
