Sean Shelby's Shoes: What's next for Ben Askren after UFC on ESPN+ 20 loss?
(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Demian Maia and UFC on ESPN+ 20’s other key winners?)
Ben Askren’s octagon run continued to produced ugly results for him on Saturday, when he suffered the first submission loss of his career against Demian Maia at UFC on ESPN+ 20.
After having his undefeated record ruined in a knockout to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 in July, Askren (19-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) attempted to bounce back against Maia (28-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) in the welterweight headliner, which took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore and streamed on ESPN+.
It didn’t go that way for “Funky,” though, because after a back-and-forth “Fight of the Night” affair, he was caught in a choke in the third round that resulted in the end of the fight.
Including his controversial debut victory over Robbie Lawler earlier this year, there’s only been a few moments over Askren’s three-fight UFC tenure in which he’s actually been winning. That’s going to raise a lot of questions about whether the 35-year-old belongs in the UFC going forward.
What does the loss to Maia mean for Askren? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future.