The MMA community reacts to retirement of Ben Askren

MMA News

The MMA community reacts to retirement of Ben Askren

Ben Askren has decided to hang up the gloves.

The former ONE and Bellator welterweight title holder announced his retirement from mixed martial arts on Monday’s edition of Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.

Ben Askren made his UFC debut this year, after ONE Championship traded him to the promotion in exchange for long-time UFC flyweight king Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

He won his first fight with the promotion — albeit in controversial fashion — submitting former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler with a bulldog choke in the first round. Unfortunately for Askren, that’s where his winning ways came to an end.

After a perfect 19-0 start to his MMA career, he was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in his next bout, and submitted by Demian Maia in his most recent fight — the fight that will go down as the last of his career.

Prior to joining the UFC, Askren went 7-0 in ONE Championship, where he was the welterweight champion. Highlights of his run with the Singapore-based promotion include wins over Shinya Aoki, former ONE welterweight champ Zebaztian Kadestam, and reigning ONE welterweight champ Kiamrian Abbasov.

Before joining ONE, Askren enjoyed a long and successful stint with Bellator MMA, where was also the welterweight champion. During his time with Bellator, he picked up wins over names like current Bellator welterweight champ Douglas Lima, former Bellator welterweight champ Andrey Koreshkov, Jay Hieron, and current UFC welterweight contender Lyman Good.

Ben Askren retires with a 19-2 overall record.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 11/18/2019. 

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