"All of that ties back to Askren"- Chael Sonnen talks about how the UFC "won" in the Ben Askren / Demetrious Johnson trade off

Nearly four years ago, the UFC made a rare cross-promotion trade, sending Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship for Ben Askren.

Although plenty of time has passed since the trade, fans are still debating whether the UFC made the right decision, particularly in light of Johnson winning the ONE Championship flyweight belt. Speaking on his Beyond the Fight podcast, MMA analyst Chael Sonnlisted on why he believes the UFC shouldn't regret their decision.

Breaking: UFC, ONE Championship close to trade involving Demetrious Johnson and Ben Askren. Potential history in the making for MMA -- espn.com/mma/story/_/id…

Demetrious Johnson is likely the greatest flyweight in UFC history and one of the greatest fighters regardless of weight class. Joe Rogan recently listed Johnson, who holds the UFC record for most title defenses, as his pick for the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time.

Despite Johnson being a far more accomplished fighter and Ben Askren only having three UFC fights, Chael Sonnen feels that the UFC shouldn't regret the trade, stating (starting at the 7:40 mark):

"Jorge Masvidal does not fight for BMF. We do not sell out Madison Square Garden. The history of Masvidal and Diaz specifically. The Rock, the biggest star in all of Hollywood, does not get into the cage and put a belt around somebody. All of that ties back to Askren."

One year ago today, Jorge Masvidal knocked out Ben Askren in five seconds at UFC 239

#UFC #UFC251
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Without the fastest knockout in UFC history, it is difficult to imagine Jorge Masvidal becoming the star that he is today. While Demetrious Johnson is a far greater fighter than either Masvidal or Ben Askren, the UFC is a business first. It is hard to imagine Johnson bringing in the revenue that the promotion has made following Masvidal's five-second knockout.

The UFC has also benefited as Askren, who was undefeated before joining the promotion, losing in such a fashion helped bolster their stance that they are the best MMA promotion.

Watch Chael Sonnen's full comments below:

Demetrious Johnson becomes ONE Championship flyweight champion

Demetrious Johnson recently captured the ONE Championship flyweight belt, showing that he is still at the top of his game. Johnson defeated Adriano Moreas with a fourth-round knockout via a flying knee.

Seeing Johnson still having success all these years later must surely sting, as the flyweight division has seen an increase in talent since his departure. Despite no longer fighting in the UFC, Johnson may still be the best flyweight in the world.

Due to this trade, we are unlikely to ever find out, as it is hard to imagine the UFC would see it as a mistake and have a cross-promotion event.

Watch Demetrious Johnson's knockout below:

AND NEW! 👑 @MightyMouse 🇺🇸 wins the ONE Flyweight World Title with a walk-off KO of Adriano Moraes!

@PrimeVideo #ONEonPrimeVideo1 #ONEChampionship https://t.co/A3G9dlesyw