"I didn't want to be poor my whole life" - Ben Askren reveals why he transitioned from wrestling to MMA
Ben Askren, in a recent episode of Lex Fridman's podcast, revealed why he shifted from wrestling to MMA.
"Honestly, if America is getting better, but in 2008 the reason I went to do MMA was because I didn't want to be poor my whole life. You know what I'm saying. It sucks, it's like I don't want to make twenty thousand dollars for the next 48 years. So, I'm going to go do something else. If I could have made even and I need to be rich right. If I could have made a hundred thousand dollar or seventy thousand dollars, wrestling then I probably kept wrestling. So I think its those factors."
'Funky' also mentioned that MMA now has a bunch of really good people. Many coaches are coming back to teach the fight game, suggesting the sport has proved to be quite promising on the financial front.
Check out Ben Askren's comments in the video below:
Ben Askren believes Abdulrashid Sadulaev is the GOAT of wrestling post-2000
Another revelation that Ben Askren made in his interview with Lex Fridman was who he believes to be the GOAT in wrestling post-2000. According to the former UFC welterweight, Russian freestyle wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev boasts the title.
"Post-2000, I think and obviously just freestyle, so... I think Sadulaev... Sadulaev won the Olympics... So, well, Kyle won the first one in 17. Sadulaev had pinned him in the following year. But then Kyle lost and took bronze in 19. And then just lost. I don't want to say fairly decisively but it was six to three and there was a late takedown. He kind of gave it up and maybe... They are gonna wrestle again in like two weeks here. So, you know, you have to say Sadulaev at this point. There's nothing else to say unless Kyle proves us otherwise."
Later in the interview, the two talked about whether wrestlers like Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev should pursue MMA careers. 'Funky', however, stated that they are making enough money wrestling and do not feel the need to transition to MMA anytime soon.
Catch Ben Askren's wrestling comments in the video below: