Former ONE champion Ben Askren is the talk of the MMA world right now. He exploded onto the mainstream when it was announced he would be traded to the UFC for Demetrious Johnson. “Funky” promptly went on a nearly all-encompassing callout tour on social media. Based on that, it’s hardly a surprise Askren calls out the top of the food chain.
Appearing on ‘Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show’ today (Mon., October 29, 2018) Askren dove into all of the highest-profile potential match-ups for him in the Octagon. He was asked if his move made his friendship with current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley awkward. To that, he said it was not one bit because they simply weren’t fighting (via Justin Golightly on Twitter):
“It’s not awkward at all. Tyron and I aren’t fighting. If he breaks his knee and they want me to fight for an interim belt, then I’ll fight but he and I aren’t fighting. I’ve known him since I was 17 years old.”
Askren still has his sights set extremely high, however. He claimed his best-case scenario was one where in-limbo former champion Georges St-Pierre declined to fight Woodley and met him at 165 pounds instead:
“Best case scenario, GSP doesn’t want to fight Tyron because he hits too hard, so he fights me. I’d like to see them start a 165 division.”
A bit of odd speculation, actually, as St-Pierre has never really warmed to the prospect of taking on Woodley for the belt due to “The Chosen One’s” overall lack of popularity. St-Pierre wants fights that will greatly impact his legacy, so he’s been teasing a fight with undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
‘Funky’ Aims High
Oddly enough, that’s the fight that Askren said he wants most, and he also wants it at the oft-mentioned 165-pound weight class. He even drummed up an off-the-wall (or is it?) reason for the UFC to create the new division:
“And then they’d have a reason to give Conor McGregor a belt again! Everyone wins! I just got McGregor a belt again.”
There’s no doubt Askren’s first fight in the UFC will be big business. But with Khabib’s manager teasing big news for “The Eagle” soon, it’s tough to imagine Askren gets a fight that big for his debut.
Stranger things have happened, yet it would seem a Khabib vs. GSP fight is more likely as of now. Still, “Funky” can’t be faulted for aiming for the biggest and brightest names in the UFC now that he’s finally there. If he’s the “big news” Nurmagomedov’s camp is teasing remains to be seen.
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