"Would've been nicer if I won" - Ben Askren describes relationship with Jake Paul following their boxing bout
Ben Askren recently described whether he has had any relationship with Jake Paul since their 2021 boxing bout.
The former UFC welterweight was the first MMA fighter to suffer a loss to 'The Problem Child' in boxing, which resulted in a number of others including his teammate Tyron Woodley, to pursue a boxing bout against the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
During his appearance on Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's Jaxxon Podcast, the 2008 Olympian clarified whether he had been in contact with Paul since they fought.
Askren mentioned that he isn't friends with Paul and their bout and personal relationship was strictly business. He said:
"No, I kind of just left it [animosity with Paul]. I just left...I just walked out and I left...Yeah, that's it [got my pay and left]...I got paid well, yeah...I mean, it would've been nicer if I would've won obviously...No [I wouldn't have been paid more if I won], I just don't like losing."
It doesn't appear as though Askren and Paul will be best friends anytime soon, but it seems like there isn't personal animosity between the two competitors following their fight.
What was Ben Askren's MMA record when he retired?
Ben Askren was a successful fighter during the height of his MMA career and one that many believed had the potential to become a UFC champion.
Prior to his UFC debut in 2019, the Olympic wrestler-turned-MMA fighter competed in Bellator and ONE and won the welterweight championship in both promotions. He amassed an unbeaten 19-2-1 MMA record and defeated a number of top welterweights, including Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov, and Shinya Aoki.
Askren finally joined the UFC after they acquired him from ONE in exchange for former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. He submitted former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in his promotional debut, but went on to lose his following bouts against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before retiring.