Bellator releases Ben Askren

[Husker_Du 852]

i realize there's marketing and posturing going on on both sides but...

 

instead of saying Askren is one-dimensional to suggest why they didn't want to re-sign him, when their real motive is that they want to see the Bellator Champ do well in the UFC,

 

why didn't they just say, "We want to see the Bellator Champ do well in the UFC, so we'll let him go there."

 

i mean, wouldn't the Belltor brand be better for it if their long-time champ was an impact player in the UFC?

 

maybe i'm missing something.

[LordNelson 552]

You're missing the egos involved.

[Voice_of_the_Quakers 133]

Good for both parties.

 

The UFC has to sign Askren. It's brand is to have the best fighters in the world, period. Askren is undoubtedly one of the best at 170 - the UFC has to have him or fans will eventually wonder if it has the best fighters. (Think Nick Diaz and Strikeforce)

 

Is Askren a boring fighter? Let me put it this way...is he any more boring than GSP and his 1,000 straight decision wins? Or, Jake Shields, a decision-winning machine who took two of five rounds from GSP despite having pedestrian stand-up.

 

BTW, I think Askren gives GSP fits. GSP is a great MMA wrestler, but he has never experienced anything like Askren's scrambling/flexibility. Who exactly would GSP bring in to simulate Askren? Greg Parker of Princeton? And, that's if GSP gets by Hendricks, who at -$235 (about the same odds you could've gotten Weidman v. Silva) is very tempting.

 

As much as Bjorn Rebney would plead otherwise, Bellator is MMA's 2nd string. Since they don't have the best fighters, their job is to put on entertaining fights/cards. KOs, submissions, tournaments, surprises, title turnover, etc. Notice, they've picked up Chieck Kongo (KO or be KO'ed) from the UFC, not Yushin Okami. Having Ben Askren be their personal Bill Goldberg - the undefeatable champion - does them no good.

 

Again, this move is a win-win to me. Best of luck to both parties moving forward.

[BigApple 86]

I'm hoping Hendricks beats GSP then fights Askren. Both are great at self promotion and don't mind playing the "villan". That would be a blockbuster. Hendricks is better on his feet Askren, but Ben is superior on top. It might wind up be a boring match because both are excellent wrestlers. However, it is one I'd pay to see.

[Husker_Du 852]

You're missing the egos involved.

 

fair point

[armspin 257]

Even if Askren signs with the UFC I dunno abut them giving him a quick title shot. One possibility is if GSP and Rory both win this weekend, and then refuse to fight each other. This leaves the UFC without an obvious next challenger. If GSP or Rory loses, there will be lots of guys in line before Askren.

[The_Education 24]

A lot has happened today after Bellator released Askren.

 

First, Dana White says they don't want Askren. He thinks Askren should go to another organization and pick up more wins. The suggestion here is he needs to diversify his skill set. Of course, Dana White says a lot of things in very strong terms he either doesn't mean or quickly changes his mind about. So this could be a negotiation strategy. Who knows.

 

http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/11/14/5 ... ben-askren

 

Next, World Series of Fighting offers Askren a contract.

 

http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/11/14/5 ... a-contract

 

If Askren signed with WSOF, he would have interesting matchups with Fitch, Palhares, and Josh Burkman,

[cornercoach 448]

............ be right back- gonna go to an MMA website and get the latest college wrestling news.....

[scribe 1,835]

............ be right back- gonna go to an MMA website and get the latest college wrestling news.....

No kidding. This has gotten ridiculous. Some are incredibly determined to see wrestling spin away from, well, wrestling.

[The_Education 24]

Cool. I'll just go ahead and click on threads that don't interest me and write sarcastic things in them indicating I'm not interested in them. That seems like a good use of my time.

[Matburn155 3]

I wouldn't be so quick to pencil in Askren to sign with the UFC. Dana White seriously does not like "lay n' pray" fighters. If he does get signed he definitely will not get an immediate title shot. Yes, Askren has finished some people recently, but those guys weren't UFC caliber fighters. As far as Askren and Sonnen are concerned, that is just not a good comparison. Sonnen looks to finish fights. He is always trying to pass guard, has many submission victories over very good fighters, and he is not afraid to stand up and strike with the best of them. Askren is happy to sit in guard, he can't nor will he strike with anyone, and is perfectly happy to sit in someone's guard for an entire fight and get the W via refs decision.

[scribe 1,835]

Cool. I'll just go ahead and click on threads that don't interest me and write sarcastic things in them indicating I'm not interested in them. That seems like a good use of my time.

How about utilizing the mma forum instead of clogging up this one with off topic threads?

[Matburn155 3]

Adding to my post above(because I accidentally hit send before I was finished)....MMA fans for the most part, do not like this kind of fighter. I'm not saying its right, but most drunk muscle-head MMA fans want to see some action. Dana white very well may pass on Askren, in favor of somebody who just go's for broke. That fighter may not win as much as Askren, but he may put more butts in the seat.

[Husker_Du 852]

i don't know much about the negotiation and marketing of mma,

 

but i really want to see Ben get a shot in the ufc.

 

so what would compel the ufc to sign him? anything?

 

is there really a chance that they don't even give him a shot?

[armspin 257]

Sonnen has a lot of wins by submission? I don't think so, the announcers almost passed out with surprise when he won by choke in his last fight.

[Matburn155 3]

Sonnen has submitted Shogun, Brian Stann, Tim McKenzie most recentlyothers early in his career that no one would know. The Shogun one is very impressive because he is darn near impossible to submit and hasnt been submitted since early in his career by Babalu. He has also dominated many great ground fighters fighters and put on fights that the crowd enjoys. That is my point. He doesn't just sit in a guard and play putter patter. He hits you hard and looks to advance his position and get the KO/TKO/SUB

[Matburn155 3]

Im not sure. I think he will get a shot at the UFC Husker, but no way does he get a title shot right out of the gate like some people think. If he does get to fight in the UFC it will be a 3 fight contract and he had better impress and finish some people or he will be cut.

[WreslingSuperior 123]

I think that american wrestlers need to train high amplitude throws. With high amplitude throws and slam you can win a mma fight by tko....

[The_Education 24]

Cool. I'll just go ahead and click on threads that don't interest me and write sarcastic things in them indicating I'm not interested in them. That seems like a good use of my time.

How about utilizing the mma forum instead of clogging up this one with off topic threads?

 

I see your point.

 

But I think you're overreacting given that: (1) There are only about three MMA-related threads out of like 200 or so on the front page. (2) All the MMA-related threads are about former college wrestlers.

 

So I don't think it's gotten to the level where you need to be upset.

[Plasmodium 2,255]

SInce Askren only wrestles folkstyle and has no idea how to throw a punch, this seems like an appropriate forum for this topic.

[gg121and2 0]

Joe Scarpello?

 

Oops - wrong thread.

[GranbyTroll 452]

SInce Askren only wrestles folkstyle and has no idea how to throw a punch, this seems like an appropriate forum for this topic.

 

Zing!

[mgrimm 9]

Cool. I'll just go ahead and click on threads that don't interest me and write sarcastic things in them indicating I'm not interested in them. That seems like a good use of my time.

How about utilizing the mma forum instead of clogging up this one with off topic threads?

 

Agreed, we have 15 threads that have been posted in today on the College Wrestling board. It is so clogged up I can barely work my way through it. ;)

[smittyfan 42]

I just ask one thing. If we re-visit this in about 18 months, remember who brought up the JH/BA fight. That would require a few pages, that's for sure.

 

I'm heading over to teach my billiard class. Osmosis Amoeba... I mean adios amigos!

[armspin 257]

If Im Askren I join some good BJJ guys and train grappling like crazy, compete in some more tournaments (I know he has in the past). He'll never be a great puncher, but I feel like he will submit a lot more guys on the mat if he really put his mind to it.