Former UFC star Ben Askren recently posted a video accepting the call for a boxing match versus YouTube celebrity Jake Paul. The UFC star was called out after the YouTuber's destructive knockout of retired NBA point guard Nate Robinson.
After his last fight, Jake Paul has gone on a rampage of celebrity call outs to fight him in professional boxing. Some of the more comical targets have been presidential elect Joe Biden and even Ellen DeGeneres! More specifically though, Paul has claimed to be targeting matchups with UFC stars as he feels that they are smart fights that will match up well with his current skill set. This is where Ben Askren comes in to play. Askren is a former Olympic and Hall of Fame collegiate wrestler who possesses an unorthodox grappling pedigree that allowed him to dominate in the MMA fold. With that being said, the former ONE FC and Bellator champion is not necessarily known for high level striking which Paul is certainly looking to take advantage of.
In a recent tweet, premier martial arts insider and MMA podcast host Chael Sonnen has confirmed that Askren is the top choice for the next for the Youtube star's next fight.
In regards to the potential matchup Askren has responded, "Yes, Mr. Jake Paul, I do accept. I know you called me out after your last fight with that bum Nate Robinson and listen, it’s a pretty simple choice. I’m going to make a whole bunch of money to beat up a guy who is pretending to be an athlete, because at the end of the day that’s what you’re doing. And I know you may think I don’t have too many stand-up skills, but also, I don’t really need to! I’m a world class athlete." While Askren's confidence may reassure some it hasn't been making a difference on the opinions of pro boxing odds makers.
As of right now, Paul is a clear favorite in betting odds standing at -200 while Askren sits at a +160 spread. Albeit, it still is incredibly early to make any predictions as the fight has not been formally put together yet. But it does seem that Vegas was thoroughly impressed with Paul's last performance so much so that he's favored against a former martial arts world champion in Ben Askren. However, Chael Sonnen disagrees with this sentiment.
Being a former UFC title contender and Olympic wrestler himself, Sonnen has stated that believing that Jake Paul could beat a world class athlete like Ben Askren has more to do with Askren's fall from grace rather than actual logic. Askren previously held two world championship belts in Bellator and ONE FC alongside a lengthy undefeated streak. However, in the twilight of his career his record was broken twice in the UFC. What fans remember most is the feud he held against opponent Jorge Masvidal who finished the fight against the wrestler with a flying knee turning fastest knockout ever recorded in the UFC.
Sonnen's point is that the mainstream media only remembers the wrestler's current record and is perfectly willing to ignore his prior athletic pedigree. Still, if Jake Paul is able to pull of another devastating performance does that mean that fans should start buying in to the hype? Facing a guy like Askren would certainly help to solidify his stature in martial arts. As of now, fans will have to wait and see what unfolds next.