Ben Askren Cast as Underdog Against Jake Paul

Published 12/24/2020, 12:07 AM EST

Former Bellator MMA and ONE FC champion, Ben Askren, is set to end his hiatus from fighting early next year. “Funky” will fight Jake Paul in a boxing match. The news was broken out earlier by Chael Sonnen.

Askren, not surprisingly, has opened up as an underdog for the bout. Askren is one of the most decorated wrestlers to have ever competed in MMA. But his striking accolades are not really celebrated. In fact, he holds the unfortunate distinction of receiving the fastest knockout in UFC history against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239.

But despite being the betting underdog, Askren is confident he will win against Paul. Obviously, Askren has a far greater combat experience than the YouTuber. Hence, his confidence is not surprising.

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Bet the house https://t.co/iMk3ZsyEuW
— Funky (@Benaskren) December 23, 2020

Jake Paul has 2 professional wins in boxing in as many bouts. Both have been via knockouts. In his recent outing against former NBA star Nate Robinson, he managed a sensational finish. He has since called out a plethora of MMA stars including Conor McGregor, Dillon Danis, Ben Askren, and many more.

A win against a former world champion like Askren will raise Paul’s stocks more than ever. But, it remains to be seen how the bout goes. They are touted to clash in March 2021.

Ben Askren has been out since his loss to Demian Maia

Ben Askren hasn’t fought since his second UFC loss against Demian Maia. But “Funky” will return to competition in a Boxing ring, which is certainly not his strong suit.

Chael Sonnen broke the news earlier today. The “Bad Guy” tweeted that he had received the information about the possible fight. He also added that Paul is looking to fight Dillon Danis after Askren.

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. @jakepaul doesn’t trust many in the media to spread the word…. I’m was told “Ben then Dillion.” pic.twitter.com/evn9WdznoA
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) December 22, 2020

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Can Ben Askren upset the oddsmakers? Or will Paul get the better of “Funky”?

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Written by:

Apratim Banerjee is an MMA author for EssentiallySports and has been writing professionally for almost a year. Before his current gig, Apratim worked as a UFC writer for Sportskeeda. A long-time MMA fan, Apratim has developed a critical eye for the sport that has helped him transfer his vast knowledge to his copies and give hardcore and casual readers a detailed insight into the fights and fighters.

Ben Askren Cast as Underdog Against Jake Paul

Ben Askren has been out since his loss to Demian Maia

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