Ben Askren continuously ripped on Jorge Masvidal during the UFC seasonal press conference on Friday.
UFC welterweights Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal are set to meet each other at UFC 239 this July. And as of late, the two fighters have already been trading barbs at each other via social media.
But before the matchup was made, “Gamebred” was looking to be matched up with Leon Edwards, whom he had a backstage scuffle with at UFC London. Now that he is scheduled to face Askren, the undefeated “Funky” one further turned up the gamesmanship.
“I definitely thought that,” Askren said during Friday’s seasonal press conference (via MMA Fighting). “I thought Leon was getting the fight for sure. Besides that, Jorge was making excuses that whole week about why he didn’t want to fight me. He wouldn’t say my name, it’s a little thing that he does.
“And Jorge needs to know that I don’t get full on a three piece and soda. He better bring the whole damn family meal for that night.”
Askren then went on to heavily criticize Masvidal for that backstage tussle.
“I get I’m a fighter, I don’t understand people that walk up and just punch people for not really a good reason,” he said. “For me, it shows two things: Number one, total lack of discipline. That’s not cool, you can’t just go punch someone, so you lack the discipline that you get so angry, you can’t control yourself, and you have to start throwing your fists.
“And number two, that you’re not really secure with your own masculinity that you say, ‘Oh my God, he said something,” he continued. “I need to go prove I’m tough. Pai-yow! (does mock punch) I am tough.’
“Like, shut up, dude. We get it, you’re tough, you fight in a cage.”
UFC 239 will be the featured card for the annual International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas. It is set to take place on July 6th, and will be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Thiago Santos.