“This would actually be an insane prelim” - Ben Askren triggers pandemonium after announcing readiness to unretire for Jorge Masvidal rematch
Ben Askren expressed his eagerness for a rematch against Jorge Masvidal, aiming for the milestone UFC 300 event set for April 13 in Las Vegas.
Askren and Masvidal have upheld a fierce rivalry ever since their memorable five-second encounter at UFC 239 in July 2019. During this event, 'Gamebred' sealed a record-breaking triumph with a devastating knee strike.
The former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion has once again voiced his keenness for a rematch during his recent appearance on the Funky & The Champ show.
In a conversation with his co-host, UFC Hall-of-Famer Daniel Cormier, Askren stated that if UFC CEO Dana White were to call him and propose a rematch against the former 'BMF' titleholder, he would willingly come out of retirement to make the fight a reality.
Check out Ben Askren's comments below:
Fans responded to Askren's assertion with a variety of reactions.
One wrote:
"I’d actually be excited for this idk why"
Another commented:
"This would actually be an insane prelim with both being washed"
Check out some more reactions below:
"I’d watch this. Ben’s older but he’s still a decent grappler. If Masvidal didn’t land that knee and Askren got him to the ground, he would have been in trouble. Both would kill Jake Paul in a cage, but lose in a ring 💯"
"That would be dope ngl"
"Oh darling, if Ben Askren steps back into the octagon, I'm booking the first flight to Vegas, baby! Might just bring a stopwatch for the 'fastest KO' round two! Lol, no disrespect to the gents, though. Life's full of surprises, ain't it?"
Askren's statement aligns with Masvidal's recent announcement, where he declared his departure from retirement.
'Gamebred' faced a difficult four-fight losing streak towards the end of his career, leading to his retirement last April after a defeat to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287.
When Jorge Masvidal slammed Ben Askren for demanding an MMA rematch
Ben Askren asserted that Jorge Masvidal is hesitant about a potential MMA rematch, possibly due to concerns about facing humiliation. This proposition arose after Masvisal challenged 'Funky' for a boxing match, an offer Askren declined.
During an interview with MMA Mania in August 2023, 'Gamebred' lashed out at Askren and stated:
"This guy is still talking sh*t, bro? This guy is f**king idiot, bro. Listen, he is f**king brain-dead from that knee. I’m retired from MMA, you f**king moron. There’s no f**king knees in boxing, you f**king moron. So come over, and we’ll get somebody to f**king write you a nice cheque to f**king get your head beat in and make the most money ever made in your career times two, but he’s such a coward he won’t do it."
Check out Jorge Masvidal's comments below (15:05):