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Former UFC Welterweight Ben Askren took to Twitter and doubled down on a prediction he made ahead of UFC 251. The Olympian wrestler was quick to call out Jorge Masvidal as the man to step up against Kamaru Usman. Askren expressed surety over the fact that Colby Covington was not as serious in pursuing the fight.

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Ben Askren: Mystic Ben?

The outspoken former UFC contender has never shied away from calling out his views on the fight game. His social media presence remains incredibly strong even after formally retiring for the bright lights of the octagon.

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The NCAA division one Wrestler competed against title challenger Jorge Masvidal in a now-infamous clash. The fight ended in 0:05 of the very first round via Flying knee that arguably helped catapult Masvidal to star status. The highlight-reel knockout was a defining point in both men’s careers going forward.

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Ben Askren fought once more in the promotion in a losing effort against Demian Maia back in October of 2019. He would go onto retire citing recurring hip injuries from years of high-level freestyle wrestling. Moreover, his prominent social media presence has kept Ben Askren just as relevant as an active fighter on the roster.

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Kamaru Usman x Jorge Masvidal: How did we get here?

In context to Askren’s prediction, the manner in which Masvidal vs Usman came into being is a thing of fantasy. In many ways, MMA fans and pundits liken the experience to when Nate Diaz faced Conor McGregor on short notice at UFC 196.

Originally, Gilbert Burns was slated to face-off against ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ for the 170-pound strap. A week from the event, the bout was scrapped after ‘Durinho’ Burns tested positive for COVID-19. Following the news, speculation was rife surrounding a possible late replacement to face Kamaru Usman.

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Both fighters have a heated rivalry ever since the two began ascending in the Welterweight division. The bad blood had almost escalated to the extent of physical alterations outside the octagon. Fight fans are salivating to see two MMA fighters with a varied skill set, duke it out in Abu Dhabi.

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Darryl Pinto

2,138 Articles

Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer and editor at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Sport Business Management degree out of Humber College, Canada and has completed nearly 3 years with the organization. He has also served as the Head of Content for the MLB department. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live. Having competed in MMA at a collegiate level, he consciously attempts to integrate an athlete's breakdown of MMA techniques like striking, defense, and grappling into his penmanship of the sport as he seeks to give the reader a well-rounded point of view. Before becoming the lead MMA writer, Darryl has also written articles for the NFL and boxing divisions. He began watching UFC 11 years ago at UFC 117 when Chael Sonnen went to war against Anderson Silva.

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