Ben Askren responds to the recent warning issued by Jorge Masvidal.
Earlier this week, surging UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal issued a stern warning to Ben Askren. The ex-street fighter said he won’t hesitate to strike Askren should the former Bellator and ONE FC welterweight champion get in his face backstage.
Masvidal, who will lock horns with Askren at UFC 239, infamously hit welterweight contender Leon Edwards with a three-punch combination backstage at London’s O2 Arena at UFC Fight Night 147.
“If Ben violates my personal space at any moment to where I feel a threat, yeah, it’s going to happen, the same thing that happened with Leon, if Leon’s across the room and I’m not doing an interview and he’s talking s**t, well whatever man, f**k it,” Masvidal told BJPenn.com in a recent interview.
“You’re at a safe distance, but it’s just, people have to understand it’s built into me to go into defense mode if somebody violates my personal space,” he continued. “I don’t know, as well as I can read body language, I really don’t know what somebody’s intentions are. I don’t know if he’s going to come over and be like, ‘boom roasted’ or some corny ass shit like that or if he’s going to try to double flip me.
“I don’t know these things so, as long as he keeps his distance from me, ain’t going to be no problems you know? If he’s at a distance where I’m unsafe and I feel threatened you know? Yeah, I think things will happen.”
Askren didn’t seem remotely fazed by Masvidal’s warning and it didn’t take long for the undefeated welterweight to issue a response.
Don’t worry 15 minutes on July 6 will be more than enough time for me to take care of him. https://t.co/46tCTZG6Nv
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) June 19, 2019
“Don’t worry 15 minutes on July 6 will be more than enough time for me to take care of him,” Askren posted on Twitter earlier today.
UFC 239, which features Masvidal vs. Askren on the main card, takes place next month, July 6 at T-Mobile Arena in as Vegas.