Despite what was an underwhelming year in the UFC, Ben Askren cemented himself as one of the best speakers in the promotion. The same cannot be said for UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman according to him.
While there is no question about Usman’s ability in the Octagon, he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the fans with some observers citing his personality as a factor.
Askren has already criticized Usman’s mic skills in the past and did so again as he referenced the Nigerian jokingly not knowing who Jorge Masvidal was.
“It’s so dumb because it’s like, he’s not funny when he says it, so obviously we know it’s a lie,” Askren told Submission Radio. “But sometimes you can go ahead and say things and everyone knows it’s a lie, but if you say it in a really funny way people can kind of laugh at it. But he’s not funny at all and everyone knows he’s lying. That’s obvious.”
Askren even went as far as calling Usman the worst promoter in the history of mixed martial arts.
“… I think Usman is like the worst promoter in the history of mixed martial arts,” Askren said. “Because for me, here’s the thing, Colby is literally the most hated promoter, personality, fighter in the UFC, right? And so when Usman is going against him, it’s like okay, you’ve got the bad guy Colby, and then you got Usman, who all he has to do is he’s got to play the good guy and everyone’s gonna love him and everyone’s gonna cheer for him, right?
“But Usman just could not figure out how to make people like him. Like, he just could not figure it out. Like, it would be so easy to make Colby the bad guy, he’s already the bad guy, he already plays the bad guy. It’s so simple. Just play into that and you’re the good guy, you’re the face, everyone loves you. But Usman couldn’t figure out how to do it.”
“Funky” also criticized Usman playing down a potential fight with Conor McGregor — the biggest draw in the sport today.
“It was so stupid,” Askren added. “Yeah, he was trying to act like he didn’t care. Like, okay shut up. I mean, that was absurd, that’s what it was. It was totally absurd.
“Maybe he’s half way intelligent enough to understand he’s not gonna get that fight. McGregor’s not gonna fight Usman next cause nobody knows who Usman is, he’s gonna take a bigger fight.”
Do you agree with Askren?