Some fighters have a style of fighting that fans appreciate. You have fighters like Wanderlei Silva, Junior Dos Santos and Anderson Silva who don’t get paid by the hour and go to finish the fight.
Then you have fighters who have a style that the fans don’t appreciate. That style is when fighters always win by decision and the fans feel like they got cheated.
Bellator welterweight fighter Karl Amoussou feels that way about Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren as they square off tonight in the main event of Bellator 86. The event takes place in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and you can catch the main card on Spike TV beginning at 10 p.m. EST.
Amoussou went through the Bellator welterweight tournament last year and defeated Bryan Baker at Bellator 72 last July to get the shot at Askren. The Bellator tournaments require a fighter to win three fights in three months to get a title shot. If you fight all those fights in such a short amount of time and you would think it would be hard to readjust your body to prepare a fight that’s six months away. For Amoussou though, it was a little difficult, but he was glad to get the break.
I didn’t really have to readjust, Amoussou told Bleacher Report. I took a short timeout to relax a little bit because the tournament was a little tough. In five months, I fought three times. I was really tired after that. I took two weeks off and then started training again to get ready for (Ben) Askren. It wasn’t difficult to get back in action when you know you have a fight for the belt.
Some people have criticized the tournament concept Bellator currently has.
You fight three times in three months to get a title shot and $100,000.
Fighters haven’t signed with the promotion because of the tournament concept. Amoussou likes the tournament format and feels he will be sending Askren back to the tournament.
I think the tournament is a great thing because you really earn your title shot, Amoussou stated. The only thing I think isn’t so good is that the challenger and the titleholder, whoever loses would have to start from the bottom again. I think that’s a bit hard. Askren is going to have to start the tournament from the beginning. He was the champion for three fights. That sucks he will have to start from the quarterfinals to be able to face me again.
A lot has been said of the style of Ben Askren. People feel that his style his boring and that he fights cautiously to win and keep the belt. Amoussou, in the tournament, finished two of his three opponents. The challenger has stated in past interviews that Askren has a lay and pray style of fighting. Amoussou doesn’t back away from those statements regarding the champion.
I actually don’t think I lied (statements regarding Askren), Amoussou stated. Just watch his fights. I literally fell asleep watching one of his fights. I was trying to get ready for my fight and study for him. I fell asleep. He’s definitely a lay and pray fighter. He’s good at what he does. He’s extremely boring. When your a fighter, you have to be a bit exciting.
People have said that Askren‘s style is boring and not good for the sport. Amoussou feels that style is good for MMA, but not for the fans. “Psycho” respects the champion, but says Askren isn’t coming out of the fight tonight with the belt.
His (Askren‘s) style is good for MMA, Amoussou stated. He is good at what he does and he wins. But his style is boring and I think fans are tired of watching his fights. Fans shouldn’t be bothered too much because next week he won’t fight for the belt after this fight. He’s a good fighter, a good wrestler, but he’s not an exciting fighter.
Unless otherwise stated, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
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