Ben Askren explains why he thinks that he’s popular with fight fans due to his personality and where Colby Covington goes wrong.
Both fighters are known for their trash talk which is a good thing considering that the UFC is in the entertainment era. The former Bellator and ONE champion already have his first fight under the UFC banner booked. The UFC is reportedly close to booking Askren vs. Robbie Lawler at the upcoming UFC 233 pay-per-view event.
Askren went on record by stating in a recent interview that he has a certain connection with fight fans that other stars don’t.
“I don’t think the number of followers has anything to do with how good I am fighting,” Askren said on UFC Unfiltered (transcript via Bloody Elbow). “That said, I am good at fighting and I do have a lot of followers. So I think it will help me get the bigger fights because I know the UFC pay attention to those metrics whether it warrants it or not.”
UFC 233 takes place on January 26, 2019, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card will air on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET. He continued by stating that fans like his trash talk because it’s the truth and just genuine.
“I’m more of a purist competitor and I enjoy the fighting aspect of it. But people enjoy my personality and they enjoy that I tell the truth. I speak plainly. I don’t beat around the bush and I’m just genuine.”
This is when he compared himself to former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington as he stated that what he says is contrived.
“One of the reasons why Colby isn’t catching on. Colby has been in the UFC for four years, he had a fake title shot. He still had a very small amount of the following that I do,” Askren said. “Whether it’s Instagram or Twitter or whatever. Part of the reason that’s happened is because it’s so contrived.”
Covington is slated to take on Aksren’s friend and training partner Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title in 2019. What Covington says to get attention is not unique or genuine in his opinion.
“When Colby says stuff you don’t think ‘wow that’s unique and that’s genuine,’” he added. “The fact that he has to bring Trump into everything is so that everyone gets mad. Because everyone hates Trump right. He has to do that to draw interest. It’s just an obvious sign that people aren’t that into you.”
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