MMA champion Ben Askren to come out of retirement to fight YouTuber Jake Paul
Askren #Askren
MMA champion Ben Askren to come out of retirement to fight YouTuber Jake Paul.
ESPN’s Ariel Helwani shocked the combat sports community on Tuesday when he announced a fight between former MMA champion and UFC fighter, Ben Askren, would come out of retirement fo face YouTuber turner boxer Jake Paul. The bout is scheduled for the main event of the April 17 Triller card.
This will be the first time Askren has fought in combat sports since coming off back-to-back losses including a highlight reel five-second KO at the hands (knee) of UFC BMF champion, Jorge Masvidal. Shortly after his loss to Demian Maia at UFC Singapore on Oct. 26, 2019, he retired citing massive hip injuries from his years of competitive wrestling. Askren formerly held titles at ONE Championship and Bellator over the course of his career and was often said to be one of the better fighters to never sign with the UFC … and then he did.
“It’s cute that Jake thinks he is a real fighter,” Askren Tweeted shortly after the fight was announced. “I’m gonna beat him up April 17.”
Paul, on the other hand, made his career on YouTube and transitioned to boxing in 2020. He made his professional boxing debut in Jan of that year and knocked out Ali Eson Gib. He most recently appeared on the undercard for the Triller debut of Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. and was criticized for badly KOing a former NBA player, Nate Robinson.