The potential for a mixed martial arts rematch between former welterweight contenders Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal has sparked heated exchanges between the two retired fighters.
The potential for a mixed martial arts rematch between former welterweight contenders Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal has sparked heated exchanges between the two retired fighters. Askren is a former Bellator MMA and ONE Championship champion. He recently accused Masvidal of being “scared of being embarrassed” if they were to share the Octagon once again.
Askren retired from professional mixed martial arts in November 2019 after undergoing hip surgery. He briefly returned to combat sports to face Jake Paul in a professional boxing match. But he suffered a first-round KO loss. However, his interest in a potential MMA rematch with Masvidal was reignited when the Miami native expressed a willingness to come out of retirement to face him.
The war of words between Askren and Masvidal escalated on social media, with Askren claiming that he would showcase his wrestling skills and “embarrass” Masvidal in the process.
During an appearance on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel, Askren stated, “That’s why he (Jorge Masvidal) won’t do it. So he’s not scared of fighting and he’s not scared of pain, right? But there are multiple fears. What he’s scared of is being embarrassed, right? I’ll pull his hair, I’ll rub his face in the ground for about 15 minutes, and leave him with some mat burns here. He’ll be real embarrassed.“
Askren continued, “There are lots of fears we have in life. We, as men, Daniel, can have lots of fears. I’ll tell you what I’m scared of – I’m scared of snakes. I’m scared of sharks. I won’t go in deep water. I don’t mess with them sharks, that’s their house, right? Jorge Masvidal, he’s not scared of a fight, he’s not scared of a physical altercation. He’s scared of being embarrassed and losing status, that’s what he’s scared of.”
The history between Askren and Masvidal dates back to their infamous encounter in July 2019 at UFC 239. In a record-setting moment, Masvidal secured a five-second flying knee knockout victory over Askren. Propelling himself into the spotlight and etching his name in MMA history.
It remains to be seen whether Masvidal will indeed come out of retirement to face Askren once more. While Askren is confident in his ability to showcase his wrestling skills and “embarrass” Masvidal, the outcome of any potential rematch would undoubtedly draw significant attention from the MMA community.
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