Tag: Ben Askren

Ben Askren furthers his heated feud with top welterweight contender Kamaru Usman after their recent incident.

Their beef all started once they got into a minor altercation backstage before the UFC 235 presser last week. Askren has gone on record by stating that Usman threatened him.

On the flip side, Usman claimed he was keeping things real considering their history has taken place over the last few months.

Askren reacted to the video of this incident being released during an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on his MMA show.

“Can you believe Marty put this video out?” Askren said (H/T to MMAFighting). “This video makes him look like a dumb-dumb and it was his camera person that put it out! He is bragging about this and this is what I can’t stand about fighters. Listen, we get that you’re tough. You fight in a cage. I understand that perfectly, but he has to come up to me, [when] you know nothing is going to happen back there, Marty! Why are you getting in my face? You know you’re not gonna risk your main event shot by punching me in the back hallway.

“Give me a freaking break. I couldn’t fathom why he was trying to act so tough and what he was trying to do or get out of the situation. If it was intimidation, that’s freakin’ laughable. Look at his skinny jeans! You can’t be acting tough when you’re in white skinny jeans and a scarf.”

Askren continued by stating that he thinks he’s under the skin of Usman and thus, he got mad.

“I am under your skin so bad that I say one thing – I said, ‘Am I sitting next to Marty?’ and he got all pissed,” Askren said. “And the funny thing is, he’s not even like, ‘Marty’s not my name, don’t call me Marty.’ . . He’s not even denying that Marty is his name so I don’t even know what he’s mad about! What is he mad about? I’m so far under his skin and so far in his head it’s not even funny.”

The post Ben Askren Furthers Heated Feud With Kamaru Usman appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

I don’t know if I would describe the altercation quite how Ben Askren did but there was definitely a backstage confrontation between him and Kamaru Usman at the UFC 235 presser.

Since joining the UFC Askren has taken aim at nearly every relevant welterweight on the roster. He claims to know Usman from their amateur wrestling days, when Usman went by the name “Marty” as Askren recalls – “Marty from Nebraska.”

Although both men are scheduled to fight different opponents at UFC 235 you would never know it by the animosity both these men seem to have for one another. Just like Askren said, there was an altercation backstage prior to the presser but it is a stretch to call it an “attack” like the former Olympian did.

In fact, Usman did approach Askren but he did so in a calm and controlled manner. That, however, didn’t stop “Funky” Ben from asking UFC President Dana White if he had sat him next to “Marty from Nebraska.” (via Youtube All-Access Anatomy of UFC 235)

UFC 235 takes place on March 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Usman will challenge Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title in the co-main event. While Askren makes his Octagon debut against former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler on the main card.

The post Video: Watch Askren & Usman’s Backstage Confrontation appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.