Ben Askren’s Trash Talk & Titles Won’t Mean Much If He Fails At UFC 235

In a card jam-packed full of storylines, perhaps none carries more intrigue than Ben Askren’s UFC debut against Robbie Lawler at this weekend’s (Sat., March 2, 2019) UFC 235 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“”Funky” has taken the UFC by storm, at least in a certain sense, since being ‘traded’ for Demetrious Johnson from ONE late last year. Since then, he’s engaged in an all-out assault on all things MMA related on social media, and mostly to glaring results. Askren makes his thoughts known on nearly every topic that arises in MMA. And rarely does he say anything positive about the names involved.

Playing The Game & Well

Now, you certainly can’t blame him for taking the fast track in a game that seems to value getting your trash talk recognized over most everything else. “Funky” is playing the game, and he’s playing the game well. His UFC debut could legitimately be one of if not the most anticipated of all-time. And he’s got the resumé to back it up as well.

For those who’ve only seen Askren’s social media blitz of late, he’s a two-time NCAA Division I national champion in wrestling. He won and defended the Bellator welterweight title four times. He then vacated that title in order to negotiate with ONE. There, he won their welterweight title and successfully defended it three times before ‘retiring’ in late 2017.

But hardcore fans – the only ones really paying attention to his body of work at the time – argued he never faced true top opposition. Yes and no, it could be said.

He finished Andrey Koreshkov and beat Douglas Lima in Bellator. You could argue those are two of the best welterweights in the world, although they aren’t up with the best of the UFC. Outside of those two, the biggest name he’s beaten is probably Shinya Aoki. The submission wiz is a Japanese legend for sure, but he’s fought in lighter divisions than Askren his whole career. You could also speculate he was out of his prime when he fought Askren in his final ONE fight.

The Pressure Is On

So his record is spotless while simultaneously raising questions. Either way, he has a shot to silence his critics by dominating “Ruthless” in his Octagon debut. Or, he could prove his many haters right by laying an egg in Las Vegas. Askren doesn’t care if you love him or hate him, just that you tune in. But his act is going to grow old quick if he doesn’t win pretty much every one of his UFC bouts. He’s talked himself into that position, and he seeems perfectly fine with it; even accepting.

Also, Lawler is a near-perfect opponent for him to pick up a victory in his UFC debut. “Ruthless” deserves praise and respect for his long-running success and championship pedigree, Lawler can be neutralized by the most elite of wrestlers and/or grapplers. His wrestling defense really isn’t bad. Yet Johny Hendricks showed he could be taken down in the fifth round of their classic fight at UFC 171. That seems like 25 years ago.

Amazing Match-Up?

But anyway, back to Askren.

His game is predicated on smothering his opponents and not giving them the space to throw before grinding them to the mat. That’s a style tailor-made for beating a brawl-inducing kickboxer like Lawler. “Ruthless” hasn’t fought many wrestlers outside of Tyon Woodley since he fought Hendricks, and “The Chosen One” seems to rely on his striking more these days. Lawler suffered a knockout to the current titleholder in July 2016, and hasn’t been on the same level he was during his title run.

While we can’t count the knockout skill of the former UFC champion, the match looks good on paper for Askren. But that’s even more pressure. he thrives in those situations. Askren has been a winner at every level of his diverse competitive tenure. He’s playing the game the current era of the UFC demands. He’s on the biggest level airing on the biggest pay-per-view event in his UFC debut.

So Askren has to deliver a big win, and not just a boring decision. He has to dominate Lawler to validate all his trash talk. His many accomplishments will remain and should be respected. But due to the position he’s talked himself into, Askren has to win and win huge at UFC 235.

If he fails to do exactly that, his prior accolades won’t mean much in the eyes of many fans.