Ali Akbar Rosady
Former UFC welterweight contender Ben Askren has recently provided a candid explanation for his deliberate instigation of the intense rivalry with Jorge Masvidal, a conflict that culminated in one of the most memorable and rapid knockouts in the promotion’s history. Askren’s revelation comes in the wake of a surprising and widely reported reconciliation between the two fighters, who, six years after their explosive encounter, have chosen to bury the hatchet and forge an unexpected friendship. This newfound camaraderie follows a harrowing medical emergency suffered by Askren, which saw him placed in a medically induced coma before undergoing a life-saving double lung transplant.
Askren, known for his elite wrestling pedigree and distinctive personality, detailed his arduous health journey and subsequent recovery through social media, coinciding with the production of an upcoming documentary chronicling his experience. It was during this period that Masvidal, a fighter whose career trajectory was significantly altered by their 2019 bout, reached out to Askren, expressing a desire to meet. "They’re doing a movie about what I went through," Askren shared with MMA Fighting. "My wife actually was childhood friends with I believe it’s a movie producer and they said ‘hey, we’d like to do something.’ I said OK, I’m up for it of course. I think my story can be inspiring to a lot of people." This project provided a unique backdrop for Masvidal’s unexpected overture.
Masvidal’s initiative to bridge the divide stemmed from a place of genuine concern, as Askren recounted. "Somewhere in that process, Jorge said ‘I’d love to sit down and have lunch and pray with you’ and I said listen dude, any time, you’re welcome to come. I’m still not traveling really at all so I said any time you want, you’re welcome to come. He agreed to come up. I had a baptism last weekend. It was good." The meeting, held in Wisconsin, marked a significant turning point, transforming a relationship defined by animosity and public insults into one of mutual respect and understanding.
The historical backdrop to this reconciliation is crucial. Askren and Masvidal engaged in one of the most vitriolic rivalries within the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division. The verbal warfare, characterized by cutting remarks and personal jabs, escalated dramatically in the lead-up to their highly anticipated clash at UFC 239 on July 6, 2019, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The fight itself would etch its place in UFC lore, though not in the manner Askren had envisioned.
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The bout ended with devastating swiftness. As the opening bell rang, Masvidal, nicknamed "Gamebred," charged across the Octagon, launching a flying knee that connected flush with Askren’s head as the former Olympian shot for a takedown. Askren was instantly rendered unconscious, falling to the canvas. Masvidal then landed two additional, uncontested punches to the motionless Askren before referee Herb Dean intervened, stopping the contest just five seconds into the first round. This spectacular finish not only secured Masvidal a pivotal victory but also set a new record for the fastest knockout in UFC history, surpassing Duane Ludwig’s previous record of six seconds.
The aftermath further intensified the narrative. Masvidal famously justified his follow-up punches by stating they were "super necessary," a direct jab at Askren’s pre-fight trash talk and a phrase that quickly became a fan-favorite slogan. This incident propelled Masvidal into superstardom, transforming him from a respected veteran with a solid record into one of the most marketable and popular figures in mixed martial arts. Prior to this, Masvidal had amassed a professional record of 33 wins and 13 losses, having fought in various promotions for over a decade. While he had notable wins, his career had often seen him on the cusp of title contention without breaking through definitively. His knockout of Darren Till in London earlier in 2019 had already signalled a resurgence, but the Askren fight solidified his status.
Seven years removed from the inception of their rivalry, Askren, a former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion who entered the UFC with an undefeated 18-0-1 record, now openly admits that he intentionally manufactured the animosity with Masvidal. His primary motivation, he explained, was to secure a coveted UFC title shot, a goal complicated by a ticking clock due to a persistent hip issue and a limited pool of viable opponents within the welterweight division.
"Honestly, I felt a little bad because and I should have told him this, when I was going to fight him, I knew my clock was ticking with the UFC because of my hip issue," Askren elaborated. His transition to the UFC in 2018 was a landmark moment, part of a historic trade that sent former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship. Askren’s UFC debut against former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 235 was a controversial affair, ending in a first-round technical submission victory for Askren, albeit with a debated stoppage by Dean. Despite the win, Askren’s underlying physical ailments were a growing concern.
The strategic landscape of the welterweight division further constrained Askren’s options. "So I fought Robbie [Lawler] really early and as that month progressed, I realized the only person I was able to fight was him [Masvidal]. So I had to get him to say yes. So I had to antagonize the sh*t out of him. I had to say a lot of stuff that maybe I didn’t fully mean because otherwise, I was going to be sitting on the bench," Askren explained.
He detailed the specific roadblocks he faced: "If you remember, this is seven years ago now, Tyron [Woodley] lost to [Kamaru] Usman, they weren’t going to give me the title shot, it was going to be Usman versus Colby [Covington]. That was the plan there. I wasn’t going to fight Tyron because he’s a close friend. ‘Wonderboy’ [Stephen Thompson], got knocked out by Anthony Pettis. I wasn’t going to fight Anthony because he was a close friend. Then Jorge knocks out Darren Till so I couldn’t fight him. I had no options. So I was like I need to focus all my energy on him and it eventually happened. I thought it was going to be good for me. It turned out to be great for him of course."
Indeed, the fight proved to be a pivotal moment in Masvidal’s career. Following the Askren knockout, Masvidal went on to defeat Nate Diaz for the inaugural "BMF" (Baddest Motherf***er) championship at UFC 244 in November 2019, an event that headlined Madison Square Garden and drew significant mainstream attention. This was followed by two highly lucrative title fights against then-welterweight king Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 in July 2020 and UFC 261 in April 2021. While Masvidal was unsuccessful in dethroning Usman, his five-fight run from early 2019 to 2021, which included the knockout over Till, Askren, and Diaz, cemented his status as a major pay-per-view draw and one of the UFC’s most recognizable athletes. The 5-second knockout of Askren served as the undeniable catalyst for this meteoric rise.
Looking back, Askren does not express regret regarding the calculated genesis of the rivalry. He maintains that instigating the conflict with Masvidal was, at the time, his most viable pathway to securing an opponent who was both available and, in his assessment, beatable, thereby propelling him closer to a championship opportunity. Askren’s professional MMA record concluded at 19 wins, 2 losses, and 1 no-contest, with his final fight being a submission loss to Demian Maia in October 2019, after which he retired due to his deteriorating hip condition.
The recent meeting and subsequent decision to put their past animosity aside represented a cathartic moment for Askren. "I said it on social media but I meant it: Holding grudges is a total waste of time for anyone," Askren stated, reflecting on the profound shift in perspective brought about by his health crisis. "That doesn’t mean we’re going to be best friends. I have other people who maybe even more contentious relationships with and it’s like we met, I forgave them, it doesn’t mean I’m going to be friends with them but it feels good to clear the air."
While geographical distance—Askren residing in Wisconsin and Masvidal in Miami—may preclude a deep, ongoing friendship, the air between them has been unequivocally cleared. "With Jorge, he lives in Miami, I live in Wisconsin. I don’t know how good of friends we’re going to be but there’s definitely no hard feelings. It is what it is. It’s nice to be able to forgive or come to an understanding or agreement and say ‘hey, on my side there’s no hard feelings.’ I think he felt the same way. I think we actually have a lot in common. So that was great." The unexpected reconciliation between two figures once synonymous with one of the UFC’s most bitter feuds serves as a testament to personal growth and the enduring capacity for forgiveness, even in the highly competitive world of professional combat sports.
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