UFC Singapore: Askren Gets Put to Sleep Again

UFC Singapore: Askren Gets Put to Sleep Again

Ben Askren came into the UFC with a ton of hype around him. The former Bellator and One Championship welterweight champion was unbeaten and even before he made his UFC debut he was already in the title conversation in his new home.

Askren went into his fight with Jorge Masvidal knowing a win would probably earn him a title shot, but it took just 5 seconds to end his immediate ambitions of UFC gold.

Sadly for Askren, all the hype now looks severely misplaced, and he faces the reality that all the hopes he had to add another title to his collection, now look dead in the water.

After his controversial win over Robbie Lawler on his UFC debut, Askren is now riding a two-fight losing streak after coming up short to Demian Maia in Singapore earlier today.

Askren had his moments against his fellow grappler and in truth he looked the likely winner after the opening two rounds, I had him edging both rounds. But where Askren is strong, Maia is also, incredibly so, one mistake often leads to defeat.

Despite looking crude on the feet, Askren had success there and he might have been wise to keep it there, where there was far less danger coming his way.

It was fascinating to watch when the fight hit the ground, watching who would come out on top in the transitions, but Maia carries real danger in these positions.

Askren survived the threat in the 2nd, but wasn’t so fortunate in the 3rd. Maia got his back and Askren this time wouldn’t escape and was choked unconscious at the 3:54 point of the round.

With this win, Maia at 41, keeps his career going, while Askren faces an uncertain future and you wonder now what’s left for him.

Askren has probably arrived in the UFC when he is past his prime, but a bigger issue is, he has failed to evolve. Askren has a wrestling heavy game and very little else. It is with good reason wrestling is his bread and butter, but at the top level you can’t be a one-trick pony, you get found out, and Askren looks as though that’s exactly what has happened to him.