"BMF title alone makes it worth it" - MMA Fans discuss if trading Ben Askren for Demetrious Johnson a good call by the UFC

Fans on Twitter debated whether trading Demetrious Johnson for Ben Askren was a good move for the UFC.

Johnson recently claimed the ONE Championship flyweight title by knocking out Adriano Moraes, proving he's still one of the greatest 125-pound fighters in the world. Meanwhile, Askren retired in 2019 after back-to-back losses against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia.

With that in mind, MMA fans on social media discussed whether the UFC was shortchanged in the deal. A group of fans believes that while the UFC undoubtedly received the inferior athlete in the deal, Askren still had valuable contributions to the company. Through his knockout loss in 2019, Askren helped Jorge Masvidal become a legitimate superstar. These fans are of the opinion that Masvidal's rise alone makes the 'Mighty Mouse' trade worthwhile for the UFC.

@OnPointMMA They couldn’t market DJ. Ben was as big if not bigger than DJ with little effort. Then Masvidal’s superstardom was born off the back of that trade. BMF title alone makes it worth it. Then Masvidal big enough to save a title fight last minute and book a rematch? Easy win for UFC

@OnPointMMA Hate to say it but good, Jorge made them a ton of money. Also, the TL isn't always this full of DJ posts, alot of people focused on DJ because of it being on Prime in prime time with no other cards this weekend. Hopefully his star finally turns, it's deserved.

@OnPointMMA Well, it helped made Masvidal a star, so...
from the Masvidal KO to Usman KO'ing Masvidal...it was a good trade...
from then on...not so much

@OnPointMMA dJ was boring for majority and askren was a part of one of the most iconic moments in ufc history and made Jorge a star. worth it 100%

Some also pointed out that Johnson's departure turned the flyweight division competitive. Meanwhile, others simply argued that losing one of the greatest fighters for someone who has been retired for years was a bad move.

@OnPointMMA Bad. Imagine DJ in fights with the flyweights rn. All askren done was give masvidal a name

@Haroon2504 @OnPointMMA Honestly, I think he would still be champion and people would be saying the division is too weak. DJ leaving saved the division because he's just too good.

@OnPointMMA Bad
Masvidal hype train cause of askren is nothing to what mighty mouse brought every fight

@Eric86150259 @OnPointMMA Dj decisively still beats every flyweight in the world and Adriano moraes is def not to far from that

@fikisakoj @OnPointMMA No its a loss for the UFC. They lost the best flyweight ever for Ben Askren. Who might of been marketable, but he wasn’t going to be a contender. Plus making Jorge big doesn’t do much because he’s still a journeyman that was lucky to get those title shots

@OnPointMMA Tremendous from a business perspective.

Horrific from a sporting one.

@AndyHickeyMMA @OnPointMMA Was it even that good of a business decisions tho Ben askren didn’t do a thing but get knocked out😂 and dj is showing why that was a terrible decision

@OnPointMMA Dana hated having DJ on the roster because no one could touch him (even Henry's SD win is questionable)

Was it a good idea? I mean imo, the current top 15 for Flyweights couldn't beat Mighty Mouse, Moreno would be a good fight but I think DJ is too much for any of them.

@martasZyka @OnPointMMA DJ has so many amazing finishes in his 12 championship defenses.

Demetrious Johnson names only UFC fighter who could break his record

Demetrious Johnson has named the only UFC champion he believes has the best chance of breaking his record for most title defenses.

Between 2012 and 2017, 'Mighty Mouse' ruled the UFC flyweight division with an iron fist, amassing 11 consecutive title wins. His record now looks untouchable, especially after Kamaru Usman, who is considered one of the most dominant champions in the company, lost to Leon Edwards earlier this month.

As far as Johnson is concerned, however, one UFC champion has the chance to surpass his record. 'Mighty Mouse' believes that that fighter is women's flyweight titleholder, Valentina Shevchenko.

During an interview with MMA Junkie, the living legend said:

“I think Valentina Shevchenko will break it, just because she’s leaps and bounds ahead of her competition. I also think the pool in women’s mixed martial arts isn’t as vast. It’s not that deep. She’s just lightyears above people.”

Watch Demetrious Johnson's interview below:

Shevchenko is currently on a nine-fight winning streak. However, her streak was jeopardized during her most recent title defense against Taila Santos, a fight many believe she should've lost.