Ben Askren the latest example of minor-league hype not translating to the Major League of MMA.

[jeskola]

The UFC is the Major League of MMA. It is time to face the facts - the era of Pride, Dream, Rizin, Strikeforce, WEC, Affliction, Elite XC, Bellator, etc trying to supplant UFC as the #1 Major League of MMA is over. UFC is where it is at - these other organizations, and future ones to come, will forever and always be minor league developmental orgs, or places for has-beens to make a few bucks on the way to retirement, with the rare exception of legit current talent leaving UFC for a huge contract elsewhere.

Sure, some fighters that enjoyed success outside the UFC can come in and do OK, like Justin Gaethje. But for every one of him, there are 3 like Ben Askren, Ill Will Brooks, and Marcin Held.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Meanwhile Larkin got creamed by Lima and Mousasi just lost to Lovato, but ok, keep living in a dream world that UFC fighters are on a different level than what's happening worldwide.

 

[Y2Khaos]

More than one Strikeforce fighter has become UFC champion.

 

[BonesWinckleJones]

O rly

 

[Nate banged my mom]

I bet TS jerks off to the Jorge askren KO.

newsflash TS, you gay

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Wait, the era of 6 defunct MMA orgs trying to beat UFC is over? Why didn't anyone tell me?!

 

[BEATDOWNS]

The UFC is the Major League of MMA. It is time to face the facts - the era of Pride, Dream, Rizin, Strikeforce, WEC, Affliction, Elite XC, Bellator, etc trying to supplant UFC as the #1 Major League of MMA is over. UFC is where it is at - these other organizations, and future ones to come, will forever and always be minor league developmental orgs, or places for has-beens to make a few bucks on the way to retirement, with the rare exception of legit current talent leaving UFC for a huge contract elsewhere.

Sure, some fighters that enjoyed success outside the UFC can come in and do OK, like Justin Gaethje. But for every one of him, there are 3 like Ben Askren, Ill Will Brooks, and Marcin Held.

Does UFC pay you by the post to shill?

Strikefore
WEC
Pride

Legit as fuck son

 

[mkt]

Meanwhile Larkin got creamed by Lima and Mousasi just lost to Lovato, but ok, keep living in a dream world that UFC fighters are on a different level than what's happening worldwide.

Meanwhile Askren, Will Brooks, Hector Lombard, Jake Shields and a bunch of others came to the UFC with huge win streaks (double-digit in all cases except Brooks) and many expected them to win titles...but they all flopped. Let Lima come over and fight Usman, Colby or Masvidal and we'll talk...he's been fighting UFC leftovers so far. Rory was outstruck and beaten by Lawler (twice), Wonderboy and Condit before he left the UFC....Mousasi has been in practically every major org and is hardly a pure UFC fighter (he was another UFC flop for the most part)....and Larkin never even came close to a title shot.

Try another cherry-picked example...that one was terrible.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

The Zuffa owned WEC was trying to supplant the UFC?

Interesting theory.

 

[WHITE ANDERSON]

ben askren was never that good and was never my friend

he couldn't even beat a blown up LW with double digit losses
he couldn't even beat an old man with four minutes of cardio

UFC is the gold standard of MMA for a reason, YA GOOFS

DANA BLESS

 

[Joel Peterson]

Ridiculous thread. I wholeheartedly believe that Ben would have been a title contender had Dana let him join the UFC back in 2014. I'm convinced that anybody who starts a negative thread about Askren, doesn't like the guy or is a Jorge ballsucker, which is fine, but not a reason to hate or say he didn't belong. He fought the toughest guys, and didn't try to run against Lawler or Maia. He ran right at Jorge and got caught. He had bad luck, and against Maia, made a bad decision which Maia took full advantage of. He was the last MMA fighter alive that I know of who could win fights using really only 1 discipline.
I believe he had a great MMA Career and it should be celebrated, even after an unfortunate run in the UFC.

 

[Drugstore Cowboy]

Meanwhile Larkin got creamed by Lima and Mousasi just lost to Lovato, but ok, keep living in a dream world that UFC fighters are on a different level than what's happening worldwide.

People deny physics in front of their own eyes.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Ridiculous thread. I wholeheartedly believe that Ben would have been a title contender had Dana let him join the UFC back in 2014. I'm convinced that anybody who starts a negative thread about Askren, doesn't like the guy or is a Jorge ballsucker, which is fine, but not a reason to hate or say he didn't belong. He fought the toughest guys, and didn't try to run against Lawler or Maia. He ran right at Jorge and got caught. He had bad luck, and against Maia, made a bad decision which Maia took full advantage of. He was the last MMA fighter alive that I know of who could win fights using really only 1 discipline.
I believe he had a great MMA Career and it should be celebrated, even after an unfortunate run in the UFC.

I agree in principle, but do not think he would have done well against the wrestler heavy 170 lb division back then.

However I do think that if Lombard came over younger and immediately went to WW where he belonged, could have been a champ, particularly in the pre-USADA era.

 

[Joel Peterson]

People deny physics in front of their own eyes.

Amen Man.

 

[josh345]

Lame thread. Askren is clearly out of his prime and even needs a new hip. He could have been champ in his prime

 

[Krimzon]

It's sad that top fighters outside of the UFC essentially spent their primes in other organizations so by the time they enter the UFC in their 30s and lose, they are deemed overrated the entire time. Guys like Jacare, Tim Kennedy, Rodrigo Nogueira, Rogerio Nogueira, Luke Rockhold, Carlos Condit, Yoel Romero, Mousasi, Crocop etc.

Will Brooks is weird one i must say, homie beat Michael Chandler, TWICE

 

[Hellowhosthat]

It's sad that top fighters outside of the UFC essentially spent their primes in other organizations so by the time they enter the UFC in their 30s and lose, they are deemed overrated the entire time. Guys like Jacare, Tim Kennedy, Rodrigo Nogueira, Rogerio Nogueira, Luke Rockhold, Carlos Condit, Yoel Romero, Mousasi etc.

I think all these guys apart from the Nogueira brothers had their primes inside the UFC.

 

[tucan89]

Careful TS you’re going to trigger all the anti-UFC sherbros....and 1st comment I’m too late lol

 

[prikoke]

None of the fighters that competed in Pride within the last decade have amounted to anything in the UFC!

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

When Pride & UFC merged, guys like Hendo, Rampage, Big Nog, etc did much better than their UFC peers like Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, and Chuck Liddell.

When WEC & UFC merged, guys like Bendo, Pettis and Cowboy did better than their UFC peers (Penn, Jim Miller, Gray Maynard).

Furthermore, many guys have moved from UFC to smaller orgs and didn't dominate. TS completely ignored this data point.

UFC is obviously the king of the UFC hill. Some guys move over and succeed. Others don't. I don't see why people need to turn this into a "pick a side" thing.