UFC: Anthony Pettis Responds to Nate Diaz Tweets, ‘You Have a Lisp’

UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has fallen into the spider’s web of trash talk with Nate Diaz. If you’ll recall, Diaz seemingly called out the UFC champion on his Twitter after the UFC announced Pettis was out of his scheduled title defense against Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9. Diaz didn’t mention Pettis by […]

UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has fallen into the spider’s web of trash talk with Nate Diaz. If you’ll recall, Diaz seemingly called out the UFC champion on his Twitter after the UFC announced Pettis was out of his scheduled title defense against Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9. Diaz didn’t mention Pettis by […]

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Dana White Reveals He Has No Interest in Signing Ben Askren

Ben Askren very well may be one of the best welterweight fighters on the planet but Dana White has no interest in signing him to the UFC roster.
With Bellator releasing word their 170-pound champion has officially become an unrestricted free agent, the…

Ben Askren very well may be one of the best welterweight fighters on the planet but Dana White has no interest in signing him to the UFC roster.

With Bellator releasing word their 170-pound champion has officially become an unrestricted free agent, the spotlight shifted to the UFC and what moves—if any—they would make to pursue the undefeated Duke Roufus-trained fighter.

Never one to beat around the proverbial bush, the UFC President addressed the manner head on when asked by a member of the MMA media during his scrum following Thursday’s press conference for UFC 167. White was asked if he would be looking to bring the undefeated former Missouri University wrestling standout under the UFC banner and the UFC head honcho wasted no time in letting his stance on the matter be known.

“This doesn’t change anything,” White said. “I have no interest. I’m sure [WSOF] will pick him up. He’s [Bellator‘s] champion and they don’t want him. What does that say? What does that mean? I don’t even care about those guys whatsoever. I feel sorry for the kids that fight there. I truly feel sorry for the kids that have to be stuck in that sh**hole. And the fact you would just give away a guy who has gone undefeated for you just shows the kind of people you are. It just shows what kind of business you do.

“As far as the kid and what kind of level he’s on, he barely beat Jay Hieron. He’s got some work to do and he can fight in another organization and work his way up.”

Since winning the belt in 2010, the 29-year-old former Olympian has enjoyed a dominant reign under the Bellator banner, as he’s successfully defended his strap on four occasions. That said, the relationship between Askren and the organization he champions has not always been the smoothest, as the former two-time NCAA Div. I national champion wrestler has complained about Bellator‘s inability to keep him busy.

After logging four fights on his run to the welterweight title in 2010, his cage time has been sparse in the years that have followed. Askren fought twice in 2011 and only once last year, as he’s waited for Bellator‘s tournament format to produce title challengers.

With the UFC not showing interest and Bellator willing to let him go, Askren could very well find a home at World Series of Fighting. The Ray Sefo-lead promotion has been making strong moves since rolling out their debut show in 2012 and have picked up other big named free agents the likes of Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch.

Askren has logged an impressive record of 12-0 with his most recent showing resulting in a fourth-round stoppage victory over Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 97 in July.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.

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World Series of Fighting offers free agent Ben Askren a contract

Ben Askren may not have a home in Bellator or the UFC, but World Series of Fighting is interested in him.
Ali Abdel-Azziz, WSOF executive vice president and matchmaker, told MMAFighting.com, moments after UFC president Dana White an…

Ben Askren may not have a home in Bellator or the UFC, but World Series of Fighting is interested in him.

Ali Abdel-Azziz, WSOF executive vice president and matchmaker, told MMAFighting.com, moments after UFC president Dana White announced he had no intention of signing the now former Bellator welterweight champion, that the promotion has already extended an offer to Askren’s management team. Abdel-Aziz wouldn’t specify the terms of the deal and said Team Askren has yet to accept the offer.

Bellator announced Thursday morning that they had released Askren and waived any matching rights, making “Funky” an unrestricted free agent. Askren (12-0) has expressed a strong desire to sign with the UFC recently but that now appears to be a long shot.

“He barely beat Jay Hieron, you know?” White said. “He’s got some work to do. He can fight in another organization and work his way up and go from there.”

That journey could start in WSOF.

UFC: Anthony Pettis Responds to Nate Diaz Tweets, ‘You Have a Lisp’

UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has fallen into the spider’s web of trash talk with Nate Diaz.
If you’ll recall, Diaz seemingly called out the UFC champion on his Twitter after the UFC announced Pettis was out of his scheduled title defense aga…

UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has fallen into the spider’s web of trash talk with Nate Diaz.

If you’ll recall, Diaz seemingly called out the UFC champion on his Twitter after the UFC announced Pettis was out of his scheduled title defense against Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9. Diaz didn’t mention Pettis by name, but it’s easy to read between the lines.

It didn’t take the champion long to fire back at the brash Diaz.

Like Diaz, the UFC champ didn’t mention Diaz by name, but there’s not much detective work needed here. Pettis followed that with a seemingly clearer head as he realized he’d done exactly what Diaz wanted him to.

Pettis is going to miss a substantial amount of time after requiring surgery for a torn posterior cruciate ligament, while Diaz will face Gray Maynard at the The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale event.

Although both guys don’t seem to have a problem with trash talking each other, I wouldn’t expect to see these two matched up anytime soon.

As Pettis pointed out, Diaz is on a two-fight losing streak including a nasty head-kick knockout at the hands of Thomson. It was Diaz’s first knockout loss as well.

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Dana White: UFC isn’t interested in signing undefeated Ben Askren

LAS VEGAS — A day which started off badly for Ben Askren in the morning got worse in the afternoon.
First, Bellator announced that it is releasing its undefeated welterweight champion from any matching rights he might get from othe…

LAS VEGAS — A day which started off badly for Ben Askren in the morning got worse in the afternoon.

First, Bellator announced that it is releasing its undefeated welterweight champion from any matching rights he might get from other promotions during his free-agent period.

Then UFC president Dana White indicated his company is not interested in signing up Askren at this stage of the game.

“No interest,” White told reporters after the UFC 167 press conference.

While White had previously indicated the company was interested in talking to the 12-0 Askren, he says he now feels Askren has to pick up victories in a smaller organization before they’ll take another look at him.

“As far as the kid, as far as the level he’s on? He barely beat Jay Hieron, you know? He’s got some work to do, he can fight in another organization and work his way up and go from there.”

White used the Askren situation to take another jab at Bellator’s business practices.

“They don’t want him,” White said. “He’s their champion and they don’t want him. What does that tell you? They don’t even care. … The fact that they would just give away a guy who was undefeated, it just shows what kind of people you are.”