Was it a mistake to release Askren

[MustangSally]

People criticise UFC for not signing him but hardly ever question Bellators decision to release him.

I know Bjorn Rebney said he was too one dimensional and dominant (in other words boring) but it still doesnt make sense to release your P4P best fighter. Now that they have signed decent wrestlers such as Henderson and Koscheck they could have made some interesting matchups.

 

[Primitivo]

Like the Kraken?

 

[qw3rty]

IIRC he was asking a lot of money to re-sign and if the rating weren't good with him headlining, I can understand the release

The negative thing about it is they had and have (after Askren) 2 champions who had been beaten for him in the worst way ever

Koreshkov has gain some reputation now because he murdered Bendo but before that everybody refered to him like 'the guy who was wrestlefucked by Askren"

 

[Meathead Jock]

People criticise UFC for not signing him but hardly ever question Bellators decision to release him.

I know Bjorn Rebney said he was too one dimensional and dominant (in other words boring) but it still doesnt make sense to release your P4P best fighter. Now that they have signed decent wrestlers such as Henderson and Koscheck they could have made some interesting matchups.

Define released.

They offered him a couple of contract extensions, Askren had his heart set on the UFC though so he said they'd have to pay him a LOT more money for him to not go to the UFC, Askren then requested a release of his contract so not to scare the UFC of another Alvarez situation; they went ahead and did it.

Once the UFC didn't offer, Bellator who had been sort of respectfully crapped on by Askren reduced their salary to an amount below a champions value as the bridge had been largely burnt; Askren then went to ONE for a pretty good payday.

At the same time, he would have only been having rematches, letting him go for 3 years is probably best case scenario for them as long as they can get him back at the end of 2017; gives them a chance to build up his challengers to run through.

 

[savemgs]

No.

 

[Kingz]

i dont think Ben was going to really look at offers until the matching rights were lifted. Thats all bellator released him from...he had no more fights on his deal.