Ben Askren could've been a consistent top 5 fighter in the UFC

[Dirge]

He was good never great. Didint he fail to make the Olympic wrestling team.His one skill is wrestling and hes not even top tier in that.

? Try google. Askren competed at the 2008 Olympics.

He is also one of the most decorated US wrestlers in the decade he competed.

He was planning on going back for the 2012 Olympics but ended up in MMA a few months after competing in the Olympics. There is virtually no money in wrestling other than coaching (which he does) and that really doesn't pay well either.

 

[Versace]

Prime Askren lost to Jay Hieron and Luis Santos lmfao

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

My word he could have been, past his best when he got to the UFC i would think.

On another note, for a guy who was meant to be a boring fighter he was in three incredibly exciting fights in the UFC. (if you call the Jorge one a fight)

 

[Koimpact]

In his prime yes. Welterweight has always seemed to be a shark tank full of wrestlers and more often than not the best wrestlers rise to the top. I don't see Askren as being an exception

 

[TooTricky]

He's having a hip replacement, the average age people get that done is 68.

His body was done, you can't fight with shot hips, especially as a grappler.

I didn't know about his hip injuries, that explains a lot. I can understand the hesitance to move forward.

 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

He talked a LOT of shit about the UFC.... So in a way he brought it on himself. Almost anyone else with his talents would've probably been ramped up easier. When you talk that much shit to Lord Dana over the years, you get what you get and you best back it up.

 

[Murder_KickHC]

Conor 2.0 would KTFO him in the very first exhange 100 out of 100 fights

 

[Dirge]

Prime Askren lost to Jay Hieron and Luis Santos lmfao

? How did he lose to Santos again?

Maybe you should mention how during the rematch with Santos, Askren showed up ready and Santos was 20 pounds overweight... Or that Askren still agreed to fight him if he weighted no more than 185 come fight night (Remember this was a 170 pound fight) and Santos refused.

And last I checked he squeaked by Hieron in a close decision. Kind of like the close decision win Khabib had against Tibau...

 

[TooTricky]

Conor 2.0 would KTFO him in the very first exhange 100 out of 100 fights

Conor 2.0 sleeps prime Fedor.

 

[Versace]

? How did he lose to Santos again?

Maybe you should mention how during the rematch with Santos, Askren showed up ready and Santos was 20 pounds overweight... Or that Askren still agreed to fight him if he weighted no more than 185 come fight night (Remember this was a 170 pound fight) and Santos refused.

And last I checked he squeaked by Hieron in a close decision. Kind of like the close decision win Khabib had against Tibau...

Except Tibau is 10X the fighter that washed up journeyman Hieron is

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Buy or sell?

I think yes... it just so happened he got caught with that fluke knee from Jorge (Ben wins that fight 9/10 times), and then had one of his worst possible matchups in the division with Maia.

He dominates 25-10 in the rankings and has a good shot at most of the top 10. He's one of those guys who, even though his striking is sub-par, has such elite grappling he can make up for it.

Damn shame he retired, I don't think his run in the UFC was anywhere near done, even though he was in his second half of his 30s. It just seems like he was written off as an exposed hype job, when in reality he had 3 really tough opponents (including a 1st rd chokeout of the former WW champ) and no doubt a vendetta from Dana to try and make him look bad (remember Antonio Mckee?).

Nope...he didnt even submit lawler lol
Herb dean fucked up hard..it wasnt even under the chin...and robbie gave the thumbs up

He was and always will be a second rate can crusher...

 

[marvinparsons]

I get that, but the guy who beat Lima, Koreshkov, Amoussou, and Hieron is gonna be brutally KO'd often agsint the elite guard? He held his own against very good strikers before.

Those guys when he fought them aren't KOS, Rory, Masvidal, GSP, Hendricks, Lawler, Woodley, Wonderboy etc.

 

[pick999]

GSP would have jabbed him into submission.

Ben would tap in the air

 

[Kumason]

I was down, but right off the bat you're talking about flukes, so I didn't need to continue reading a puff piece.

 

[TripTictonic]

Selling the fuck out of it.

 

[scytheavatar]

Dude has less cardio than 42 year old Maia...... that was why he lost to Maia.

 

[Dirge]

Except Tibau is 10X the fighter that washed up journeyman Hieron is

lol ok... just started watching MMA I take it?

Hieron was highly regarded at his best.

 

[Brandon Wilson]

lol ok... just started watching MMA I take it?

Hieron was highly regarded at his best.

He was, but that definitely wasn't the case when he fought Askren in 2011. Just saying.

 

[Versace]

lol ok... just started watching MMA I take it?

Hieron was highly regarded at his best.

No he wasn't, plus he was washed up by the time he fought Askren

That shows Askren's true ability, which was being borderline top 20 WW even in his prime

 

[Dirge]

He was, but that definitely wasn't the case when he fought Askren in 2011. Just saying.

?

When he fought Askren he was 22-4 and on a on 10 fight win streak with wins over guys that fought in the UFC, you know like Jesse Taylor who won TUF, Joe Riggs, etc.

I'd say being on a 10 fight streak with a 22-4 record going into the fight with Askren, Hieron was actually at the peak of his career.