Ben Askren Announces Demian Maia Fight Is ‘Done Deal’

Both men agreed to it on social media, and now it seems both have put pen to paper. According to Ben Askren, his fight with Demian Maia at UFC Singapore is a “done deal.””

“Funky” took to Twitter to announce the news, that he’ll be taking on the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace at the October 26 show. Askren says the fight will determine who is the “best MMA grappler on planet earth.”

Askren isn’t necessarily exaggerating when he says the fight could determine who the best MMA grappler on the planet is. Both himself and Maia have been extremely dominant on the mat against their opponents in MMA competition. Askren was previously undefeated with a record of 19-0-1. However, he got caught with a flying knee by Jorge Masvidal while shooting in on a takedown in his last fight.

The knockout loss was the fastest in UFC history at five seconds. Now, Askren is ready to bounce back against the 41-year-old Maia, who is currently on a two-fight win streak. Despite his age, Maia is still one of the best 170-pound fighters in the world, as he competed for a UFC welterweight title just two years ago in 2017 against Tyron Woodley.

What do you think about the matchup between Askren and Maia?