Most fans remember Ben Askren for being on the receiving end of that Jorge Masvidal flying knee. The former UFC welterweight is a decorated veteran of the sport. Recently, Askren gave some insights into his relationship with UFC president Dana White.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Askren joined the UFC in 2018 after they traded Demetrious Johnson for him with ONE Championship. Despite winning his debut against the legend Robbie Lawler, he could not find success in the UFC. During a recent interview, Askren answered some questions about his time in the promotion.
Ben Askren on how he won over Dana White
‘Funky‘ was recently talking about his book during an interview with ‘MMA Junkie.’ The host asked about a Dana White reference in the book and asked Askren if he felt like he won Dana White over at some point. The 38-year-old responded affirmatively and gave his views on how it might have happened.
Took long enough, but @Benaskren feels like he did eventually win over Dana White once he got to the UFC.@MMAJunkieGeorge and @thegoze's interview: https://t.co/D4WKk2uda8 pic.twitter.com/Vtnzfssvab
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 16, 2022
He said, “You know what I think won him (Dana White) over was, I just genuinely didn’t give a sh*t. I wanted to fight good people. You know, like, ‘Ok, give me whoever you want.'” Elaborating on his mindset, Askren continued,
“For me, it was like, “Who do you want me to fight? When do you want me to fight him there? I’ll show up on time. I’ll make weight and let’s go”… And there was this no-nonsense, no shenanigans, no asking for more money, no nothing. It’s like they realized [I’m] actually pretty easy to deal with.” Askren said this approach endeared him to Dana White and other UFC top brass.
Getty
LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 20: UFC President Dana White interacts with the media during the UFC 197 on-sale press conference event inside MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on January 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Askren also added that there were other fighters who made negotiations difficult and avoided certain fights. Unlike them, Askren said, he did not pick and choose his opponents.
Read More– 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Ben Askren
The former Bellator and ONE champion recently gave some thoughts on the UFC 281 title fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.
Askren’s thoughts on UFC 281 main event
Much like the rest of us, Ben Askren also had his eyes on UFC 281. The ex-UFC welterweight weighed in on the newly crowned champion Alex Pereira’s performance in a series of tweets after the fight.
Getty
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 02: Ben Askren celebrates his submission victory over Robbie Lawler in their welterweight bout during the UFC 235 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 2, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The Brazilian’s power amazed Askren, who gave special commendation to it.
Holy shit that was freaking wild!! Pereira got some serious power.
— Funky (@Benaskren) November 13, 2022
The protean grappler also had some insights on future match-ups for ‘Poatan.’
Don’t book Pereira against a high level grappler, that may be an issue for him after watching round 3.
— Funky (@Benaskren) November 13, 2022
He warned against putting up Pereira against a prolific grappler after watching Adesanya dominate him on the ground in the third round of their fight.
Watch This Story– Joe Rogan on the trade deal between Ben Askren and Demetrious Johnson
What are your thoughts on Askren’s comments about his mindset in the UFC? And do you agree with his observations on Pereira? Let us know in the comments below.
