Ben Askren Continues To Dodge Robbie Lawler Rematch
Following months of build-up, Ben Askren finally made his UFC debut vs. Robbie Lawler on the main card of last night’s (Sat., March 2, 2019) UFC 235 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Askren won with a first-round stoppage, but he still seems headed for a Lawler rematch.
His victory was a highly controversial win that many have been protesting all day. Lawler slammed Askren on his head and nailed him with a barrage of huge punches to where it appeared he was nearly done. But he got up and put “Ruthless” in a bulldog choke where he appeared to go limp. He was conscious and argued the stoppage right after it happened. Replays showed he was perhaps not out.
Indeed, former champ Lawler didn’t want to make any excuses, but he did call for the rematch after the fight. Dana White was immediately on board as well, calling it a “bad stoppage.” Of course, the fans want it, so the only party in the equation who doesn’t is Askren. Speaking at the post-fight press conference himself, ‘Funky’ said he wasn’t interested as he has another fight in mind:
“I pass. I guess we’ll have that discussion, I would like to fight the winner of Till vs. Masvidal, I think that makes a whole lot of sense where the division is concerned. I didn’t really want to fight Robbie in the first place. The first matchup they offered I said yes. I did that.”
Lawler Out?
Askren also said Lawler went out from his choke, adding that his arm was limp. ‘Funky’ wasn’t buying his excuse:
“I watched the video, I saw the arm go limp, I know he said he was trying to relax himself, but I don’t know any conscious person that just goes… (mimes going limp). I mean, it just doesn’t happen.
According to Askren, Lawler wasn’t doing enough
“But that’s not my job and to what (NSAC executive) Mr. Bennett said, they tell you in the pre-fight room, ‘If I’m saying protect yourself, protect yourself, protect yourself, you have to give me something.’ And he said he couldn’t hear me, but my arm’s here so there’s definitely nothing over that one ear.”
Askren continued his campaign to fight the winner of March 16’s Till vs. Masvidal main event at UFC London on social media today:
Till replied by trashing Askren with a bevy of trash talk:
So Askren isn’t high on fighting Lawler again. We can see why due to the vicious nature of the fast-yet-furious one-round melee. Somehow ‘Funky’ survived. There’s a large percentage of fans who are still arguing it should have been stopped in Lawler’s favor earlier, and that he was, in turn, stopped too early himself.
The rematch should happen because of the dynamic. Indications are sounding like it most likely will due to what White has discussed. Askren may not like it. It’s a fight he needs to take to shake the controversy of his debut.
