Ben Askren News

Ben Askren, Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal

Jorge Masvidal reacts to Ben Askren's retirement

Tom Taylor - November 28, 2019

Earlier this month, former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren announced his retirement from MMA. This week, Jorge Masvidal — easily Askren’s most high-profile rival in the UFC —gave his take on that retirement. Despite the war of words that raged between Askren and Masvidal, and the violent way with which their fight ended, Masvidal surprisingly tipped his hat to Askren and shared his belief that the wrestler shouldn’t have retired so soon.

Michael Bisping, Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal, UFC London, Conor McGregor
Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping scoffs at Ben Askren retiring over a hip replacement

Chris Taylor - November 23, 2019

Michael Bisping is not buying that Ben Askren retired from the sport of mixed martial arts due to his need for a hip replacement. The former UFC middleweight champion discussed Askren’s recently announced retirement on his most recent edition of the ‘Believe You Me’ podcast where he insinuated that hip replacement is not career-ending surgery, unless you want it to be.

Ben Askren, Kamaru Usman
Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub weighs in on Ben Askren's retirement

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 21, 2019

Brendan Schaub is giving Ben Askren props for giving it a shot with the UFC. Askren wrapped up his MMA career after going 1-2 under the UFC banner. “Funky” cited needing to undergo hip replacement surgery as the reason for his decision. While Askren’s UFC run may not have been a total success, his reigns as the Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight ruler haven’t gone unnoticed.

Ben Askren, Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier
UFC

Ben Askren wants to give television commentary a try

Adam Martin - November 20, 2019

Recently retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren says that he wants to give television commentary for MMA events a try now that his fighting career is over. Askren announced his retirement Monday on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, citing a need for hip replacement surgery as the main factor behind his decision. Askren was undefeated heading into the UFC with a 18-0, 1 NC record and was the former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion. But he struggled in the Octagon with just a 1-2 record, including back-to-back stoppage losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia.

Dillon Danis, Ben Askren
Ben Askren

Dillon Danis sends message to newly retired Ben Askren

Tom Taylor - November 19, 2019

From the moment Ben Askren announced his retirement from MMA, you knew it was only a matter of time before Dillon Danis — one of Askren’s chief naysayers — chimed in. It’s finally happened.

Ben Askren
ONE Championship

ONE Championship pays tribute to retired Ben Askren

Tom Taylor - November 19, 2019

Ben Askren announced his retirement on Monday afternoon, and he’s been receiving love from the MMA community ever since. He even got a nice tribute from ONE Championship, the organization that famously traded him to the UFC for Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in 2018. See how ONE Championship sent Ben Askren off into retirement below:

Chatri Sityodtong, Ben Askren
UFC

Ben Askren outlines the 'storybook ending' he would have preferred

Tom Taylor - November 18, 2019

Ben Askren is done fighting. The former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight king announced the end of his fighting career on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday, adding that he now plans to undergo a hip replacement. Askren ends his fighting career on a two-fight skid, having come up short against Demian Maia and Jorge Masvidal, by knockout and submission, in his last two fights. While these losses expedited his decision to retire, he explained that he likely would have retired soon even if he’d been winning.

Ben Askren, Kamaru Usman
UFC

The MMA community reacts to Ben Askren's retirement

Tom Taylor - November 18, 2019

Ben Askren has decided to hang up the gloves. The former ONE and Bellator welterweight title holder announced his retirement from mixed martial arts on Monday’s edition of Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.

Demian Maia, Ben Askren
Demian Maia

Demian Maia encourages Ben Askren to continue fighting

Tom Taylor - November 15, 2019

Earlier this year, Ben Askren stepped into the UFC’s Octagon for the first time, with mountains of hype associated with his name. After an impressive win over Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut, however, he’s experienced back-to-back losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia respectively — a five-second knockout and a submission. After these stoppage losses, some members of the MMA community believe Askren should retire. Askren himself seems to be thinking about it. 

Kamaru Usman, Interim title, UFC
Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman discusses Ben Askren's recent loss to Demian Maia

Chris Taylor - November 1, 2019

It is no secret that current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and former Bellator champion Ben Askren do not like each other. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and ‘Funky’ have traded shots on social media numerous times in the past, but have yet to collide inside of the Octagon.

Ben Askren, Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier
Chael Sonnen

Should Ben Askren retire? UFC and Bellator vet Chael Sonnen weighs in

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 31, 2019

Ben Askren’s fighting future will boil down to how “Funky” is feeling mentally, at least that’s what Chael Sonnen believes. Askren has dropped back-to-back bouts and was stopped in both outings. He suffered a record-setting knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal back in July and was choked out by Demian Maia at UFC Singapore. Askren recently admitted to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that he is considering retirement.

Demian Maia, Ben Askren
Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping: Demian Maia was the worst possible matchup for Ben Askren

Fernando Quiles Jr. - October 30, 2019

Michael Bisping always believed that Demian Maia would prove to be a tough matchup for Ben Askren. This past Saturday, Askren returned to Singapore to meet Maia in a welterweight clash. The bout headlined UFC Singapore in Kallang. “Funky” was hoping to rebound from his record-setting knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal back in July. It didn’t pan out for him as he was submitted in the third round via rear-naked choke.

Ben Askren, Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier
UFC

Ben Askren believes he still can prove he's the best fighter in the world

Cole Shelton - October 29, 2019

Two straight losses haven’t derailed Ben Askren’s confidence. Askren retired in 2017 because he could not get a shot in the UFC to prove he was the best welterweight in the world. Yet, this year that all changed. He made his Octagon debut in March with a submission win over Robbie Lawler. Since then though, he lost in five-seconds to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 and then was submitted by Demian Maia. His stock has dropped due to the setbacks and now said he is contemplating retirement.

Ben Askren, Conor McGregor, Nick Diaz
Demian Maia

UFC rankings update: Ben Askren takes a tumble, Dominick Cruz exits

Tom Taylor - October 29, 2019

The official UFC rankings have been updated in the wake of last Saturday’s UFC Singapore card, and as expected, former ONE and Bellator champ Ben Askren has taken a tumble down the welterweight rankings after losing to Demian Maia in the main event. In victory, Maia has hiked up four spots to No. 6.

Douglas Lima
Douglas Lima

Douglas Lima on Ben Askren: "I don't see any hunger in him when he steps in there"

Mike Pendleton - October 28, 2019

Douglas Lima is once again the Bellator MMA welterweight champion and is also $1 million richer after defeating Rory MacDonald at Bellator 232. It was a tough day road through the Welterweight World Grand Prix for Lima to get his title back and while he’s back at the top, a former opponent of his is seeing his career go in the opposite direction. Back in 2012, after going on a three-fight winning streak to start his Bellator career, Lima would face then Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren for the championship, and it was “Funky” coming out victorious at Bellator 64.

Ben Askren, Reebok
UFC

Ben Askren says retirement is 'definitely something' he's considering after Demian Maia loss

Cole Shelton - October 28, 2019

Ben Askren’s time in MMA may be over once again. Back in 2017, Askren retired from the sport after he defended his ONE Championship welterweight title. He said he had nothing else to prove as he wanted to show he was the best in the world.

Ben Askren, Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson

Dana White calls Ben Askren for Demetrious Johnson an ‘amazing trade’ for the UFC

Adam Martin - October 28, 2019

Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the infamous Ben Askren for Demetrious Johnson trade between the UFC and ONE Championship. Replying to a fan on social media, UFC president Dana White called it an “amazing trade” for the UFC. It was one year ago when the UFC and ONE Championship made history with MMA’s first-ever trade. Headed to the UFC was former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, while headed to ONE was former UFC flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. It was a surprising move for both organizations, but one that ultimately made sense for both.

Ben Askren, Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson

Looking back on the Ben Askren-Demetrious Johnson trade one year later

Cole Shelton - October 27, 2019

On Oct. 27, 2018, the MMA world was shaken up as it was announced the UFC and ONE Championship made a trade. The Las Vegas-based promotion traded longtime flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, to the Singapore-based promotion for the former welterweight champion, Ben Askren. Right away, fans wondered who came out on top in this trade. The UFC was sending one of the greatest fighters of all time in Johnson for an undefeated Askren who could sell fights with his trash-talk. It seemed like a win-win for both fighters and promotions at the time. But, one year later, is it still a win-win?