Misconception or truth?: Askren priced himself out of a UFC contract
The talks never got as far as specific numbers, said Askren.
The tete-a-tete took place in UFC owner Zuffa's Las Vegas office in late November, a few days after welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre narrowly escaped with a split-decision victory over Johnny Hendricks and planted the seeds for what would become his title-vacating sabbatical from the sport in December. UFC majority owner Lorenzo Fertitta and a few others were in attendance with Askren and his manager, DeWayne Zinkin; minority owner and president Dana White sat in via teleconference. Askren said the precursory talks went well and that specific scenarios were discussed, though he wouldn't elaborate on them for confidentiality reasons.
"I left with the impression that we were going to get it done," said Askren. "Later that night, they called back to say they weren't interested anymore. I thought I was going to the UFC. How could they not sign a former champion of the number-two promotion who's ranked top ten in every imaginable ranking?"
Had the negotiations progressed to figures, Askren would like to think he'd have been offered something commensurate with his market value, but wasn't expecting the windfall that former Bellator champion Hector Lombard received in April 2012, when he became the first rival titleholder to defect to the UFC's welterweight division. According to reports, Lombard was paid an astronomical $400,000 signing bonus, $300,000 for his first bout and offered a percentage of profits from pay-per-views on which he appeared.
Askren said he wouldn't have expected such bloated numbers.
"I have other sources of income and if they had said eight [thousand] and eight [thousand win bonus pay], I would have told them to f--- off, but I'm not going to say I need Hector Lombard money," he said. "If the offer had been anywhere within the point of reason, I would have been game."
Askren clears up misconceptions about his new deal
