He's 18-0, he's happy to speak his mind and he's a former world champion in Bellator MMA and ONE Championship. And now Ben 'Funky' Askren is about to make his UFC debut tonight against former welterweight world champion Robbie Lawler in a bout that has a lot of people within the sport very excited.
Lawler has the sort of skillset to give most fighters fits, with concussive punch power, excellent takedown defense and a will to win that few in the sport can match.
Askren, by contrast, is much more of a specialist. He's a pure wrestler, and a darned good one - he represented the USA in the Olympic Games. And he's used that dominant wrestling skillset to smother and maul his opponents throughout his unblemished 18-fight career.
Now he's fighting at the highest level of mixed martial arts. If he can defeat Lawler, many of the doubts about his ability at the top level will be erased. But Lawler hasn't shown up in Vegas to make up the numbers. He still wants his old title back, and he's planning to score a statement victory and push for a rematch with the man who stunned him to win the belt - Woodley.
Source : RT Sport News
UFC 235: Jon Jones and Anthony Smith battle for the UFC light-heavyweight title in Las Vegas
UFC 235: Jon Jones and Anthony Smith battle for the UFC light-heavyweight title in Las Vegas
