Ben Askren talks wrestling, MMA in Asia, and ONE FC

The air is sultry and oppressive inside the Ultimate Fitness Gym at Metrowalk in Ortigas.

A short distance away, celebrities like Luis Manzano and Kapuso star Sarah Lahbati train for both general fitness and amateur mixed-martial arts (MMA), but all eyes are on the ring as Ben Askren, considered one of the best welterweights on the planet, puts on a dazzling display of wrestling and striking skills for the media in attendance, Monday.

Askren is set to fight Azerbaijan’s Bakhtiyar Abbasov at ONE FC: Honor and Glory, on May 30 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. A formidable talent at middleweight, Abbasov is flying high on a remarkable nine-fight win streak, with a good mix of submissions and TKOs by strikes. He hopes to improve his 11-2 record by dropping down to welterweight and giving Askren a bloody time with his Asian debut.

Askren is a four-time NCAA Division One All-American wrestler and a highly decorated 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle team member. The former Bellator FC tourney champ also possesses a spotless pro-MMA record of 12-0, which has prompted analysts to lean the odds in his favor against former UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-.Pierre, betting on his grinding style and top-notch wrestling pedigree if such a superfight ever came to pass.

However, St. Pierre has since vacated his crown and Askren, since released from his Bellator contract, has already jumped ship to Asian promotion One Fighting Championship.

“One FC made me a great offer,” explained the 29-year-old grappler.  “And I think it’s a huge up and coming organization. I’m glad to be part of the largest MMA show in Asia.”

With his brother, Max, Askren is also the co-founder of the Askren Wrestling Academy (AWA). They founded the camp after Askren finished a stint of four years as a starter at 174 pounds for Missouri (2004-07)

“I think Asian MMA is going to go through a boom like it did in the 90s,” said Askren. “I think all the Asian MMA fans are ready for another boom.”


GMA News Online sat down with the fighter from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a brief chat about changing lives through wrestling and his future in MMA.


Anybody in the One FC welterweight division you’d like to fight?

ASKREN: I’m ready to fight anybody. Whoever they say I’m fighting I’m okay with that and that’s always been my stance as a combat professional. I step inside the cage and fight whoever’s in there with me.

You’ve since moved training camps. How’s training with Singapore’s EVOLVE Team different from RoufuSport?

ASKREN: I just need to press on this week and then I’ll be good the week after that. I trained at EVOLVE for a bit in 2012 and made some connections. With most of my fights in Asia from now on it just made sense for me to have a camp that feels like home to me. I didn’t want to come over a couple of days before the fight and have that jetlag and have no place to train. Obviously they’re a great gym and have very good muay thai guys, and jiu-jitsu guys. It just made a lot of sense.

Dovetailing pro-MMA with your duties at the Askren Wrestling Academy (AWA), how do you strike a balance between them?

ASKREN: Yeah it’s hard, but coaching there is great. We’re just building and growing all the time. We just had a state tournament last week and went really well, we got all our champions. I love helping out there.  

Do you like training pro fighters over kids and teens?  

ASKREN: I love training the kids in wrestling! You can really make a change in their lives. I’ve seen a lot of kids who were headed down the wrong path and then they find wrestling and then they start heading down the right path. They’re kids so, you know, you totally have the ability to change their life. I like training fighters as well but it’s just more of an impact with teens and kids.

Any thoughts on adjusting to the Asian, non-unified MMA rules?

ASKREN: I think knees and kicks on the ground will be a huge advantage for me.


- AMD, GMA News