Ben Askren’s UFC career didn’t go the way he planned, and he’d be willing to attempt to re-write his story if given the chance.
Askren told former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier that he would be willing to come out of retirement to face Jorge Masvidal if he got the call.
“Listen, if Dana called me and said, ‘Jorge Masvidal, UFC 300,’ I don’t give a damn – I’m out of retirement,” Askren said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube show. “I’ll fight him. I don’t care. I would love to.”
This isn’t just some random shot in the dark from Askren. Masvidal recently unretired and expressed a desire to come back and compete in mixed martial arts. Masvidal’s unretirement is what prompted Cormier’s question.
Askren and Masvidal have some serious history.
After landing with the promotion via the historic trade that shipped former UFC Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship, Askren went 1-2 with his new promotion.
After defeating Robbie Lawler with a Bulldog Choke in his promotional debut in 2019 at UFC 235, Askren was knocked out in one of the most devastating ways we’ve ever seen in combat sports in his next fight.
At UFC 239, Askren faced Masvidal in a fight with mounds of nasty trash talk leading up to the scrap. Masvidal made quick work of Askren, knocking him unconscious with a flying knee just five seconds into the fight.
The fight made Askren a bit of a laughing stock, and it helped to launch Masvidal to another level as a combat sports star.
Askren would lose his only other fight in the UFC to Demian Maia via rear-naked choke. He’d also find himself the victim of another infamous KO when he was knocked cold by social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul in April 2021.
Askren-Masvidal might be a sneaky, interesting fight during the build. Askren has always been a strong trash talker; few have a larger following than Masvidal.
There’s a story to build with a rematch, as their first fight ended so quickly; there could be a question of whether Askren would have a chance without such a freakish ending.
UFC 300 has some holes in its main card, and Masvidal is a big enough name to boost it. Would I bet on this fight being added to UFC 300? No, but would I be interested if it did?
You bet.
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