Ben Askren: 5 Defining Moments
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As we approach the pivotal 170-pound bout, here are five things you might not know about the man they call “Funky.”
WINNING GOLD … In October 2010 at Bellator 33, Askren challenged the promotion’s welterweight champion Lyman Good. Askren, who was 6-0 at the time, faced adversity when he was hit by an up kick, and late in the fight, caught in a triangle choke. But for majority of the contest, Askren used takedowns and effective clinch control to dominate proceedings. After five rounds, the judges all opted for “Funky.” He would go on to defend his strap four times.
THAT WINNING FEELING … In his second outing with his new employer, the Singapore-based ONE Championship, Askren fought the organization’s then welterweight king Nobutatsu Suzuki at One FC 19 in August 2014. The American was in imperious form from the get go. After grounding his opponent, Askren delivered an unrelenting barrage of ground and pound from top position. The referee halted the beatdown at the 1:34 mark of the first stanza. With the emphatic TKO triumph, Askren claimed another major mixed martial arts title.
DOMINANT DISPLAY … At One Championship 55 in May 2017, “Funky” defended his belt for the third occasion against Agilan Thani. The Malaysian came in undefeated, but had no answer to the champion’s relentless pressure. Having pushed the challenger to the side of the cage, Askren hip-tossed him to the ground. From there, the American transitioned to the crucifix position and proceeded to cause damage with short punches and elbows. Thani displayed his toughness in surviving on the bottom, but when “Funky” secured an arm-triangle choke, his rival was forced to tap at the 1:24 point of the first round.
IMPRESSIVE FAREWELL … In his final contest with the promotion, Askren faced Shinya Aoki at One Championship 64 in November 2017. Although Aoki was somewhat undersized for the weight class, some anticipated the long-time BJJ black belt could prove a stiff challenge for the welterweight strap holder. However, shortly after the fight began, the Japanese combatant pulled guard, and Askren did not hesitate in following him to the mat, where he dished out heavy right hands from the top position. Having stood up, Askren continued the assault on his prone adversary until the referee stepped in 57 seconds into the first frame to end the fight.
CONTROVERSIAL OUTCOME … Askren made his long-awaited UFC bow at UFC 235 in March. His opponent was the promotion’s former welterweight king in the heavy-handed Robbie Lawler. The early going saw Askren struggle after Lawler dropped him on his head. After eating some big punches, it appeared that the end was nigh for the bloodied and disorientated debutant -- but he somehow survived as he got up to his feet. He would later get Lawler down on the mat before latching on to a bulldog choke. Referee Herb Dean, assuming Lawler had passed out, stopped the fight soon after. But doubts surfaced when Lawler immediately sprung to his feet and complained to Dean. Replays even showed the veteran had given a thumbs-up and was likely not unconscious after all. However, the result stood. Askren had narrowly escaped his promotional debut with his unblemished record intact.
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