Ben Askren and Logan Paul bicker over potential fight

Ben Askren, never one to shy away from a Twitter skirmish, has recently been getting into it with YouTube star Logan Paul.

Earlier this week, Paul issued an open challenge, offering up $10,000 to any social media influencer who can beat him in a wrestling match.

Askren, one of the most effective wrestlers in MMA history, was quick to respond.

$10,000 to any influencer who can beat me in a wrestling match

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) August 10, 2020

I’ll pin you in less than a minute, bad hip and all https://t.co/uuYVxnqJvn

— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020

“I’ll pin you in less than a minute, bad hip and all,” Askren wrote in response to Paul.

This comment generated a quick followup from Paul, who reminded the world that Askren was knocked out in five seconds by Jorge Masvidal in 2019.

chill https://t.co/zSOCF3H8KS pic.twitter.com/tzpPhMz2vW

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) August 11, 2020

“Chill,” Paul wrote.

Askren then responded with a handful of additional jabs at the YouTuber.

Shoot apparently lots of people want to see me pin @LoganPaul pic.twitter.com/T6xSV8Npfr

— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020

Shit happens, you think you can last 1 minute or no? https://t.co/Lvsr0mmmYb

— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020

“Shit happens, you think you can last 1 minute or no?” Askren wrote in response to Paul’s diss about the Masvidal fight.

Ben Askren, the former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champ, retired after back-to-back losses to Masvidal and Demian Maia, adding at the time that he required a hip replacement.

Despite his retirement and hip issues, he recently conceded that he’d consider fighting again under the right circumstances.

“So here’s the deal: I would never make like full-fledge, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go fight, I’m gonna chase the title,’ [comments]” Askren said on his podcast (transcript via MMA Fighting). “But I love combat. I enjoy wrestling. I enjoy fighting. So yeah, if someone said, ‘Here’s some money, go fight one time. Here’s the right opponent, let’s have some fun.’ I probably would, you know?

“I feel like I’m gonna have to do something to make sure I don’t get too heavy,” Askren added. “So I’m gonna have to compete in some way, shape, or form, might as well get paid for it. So I don’t see why not. And obviously, I’ve told you the UFC has expressed interest in giving me another fight but dude, my hip is so bad. So yeah, in a year or so.”

What do you think of this back-and-forth between Ben Askren and Logan Paul?