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A rumored showdown between Ben Askren and Demian Maia seems to have been signed, sealed and soon-to-be delivered. That’s according to “Funky” himself, who took to social media to announce that the fight is a “done deal” and is set to go down on Oct. 26 of this year.
“Done deal,” wrote an enthusiastic Askren on Twitter. “Oct 26 we will find out who the best MMA grappler on planet earth is.”
Indeed, Ben – one of the best wrestlers in the sport – and Demian — one of the best submission experts in MMA – are two of the best grapplers on the planet, as they can control a fight as they please once they get a good hold of their opponents.
Demian is currently riding a two-fight win streak and was last seen edging out Anthony Rocco Martin at UFC on ESPN 3 this past June, five months after submitting Lyman Good. Prior to that, the jiu-jitsu ace had dropped three straight, but those loses all came to current and former champions Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman.
Ben, meanwhile, has had a rough start to his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) career. After surviving a vicious onslaught from Robbie Lawler in his promotional debut at UFC 235, eventually winning via a controversial submission (relive it), Askren was then knocked out by Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 in just five seconds (highlights).
But it seems he isn’t feeling the after effects too much, as he is ready to return to action just three months later against one of the most-seasoned veterans in the sport. The promotion has yet to confirm the fight, but it seems all systems are go.
Early predictions?