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Based on the responses one would typically get from average MMA fans when posed the question, "Who is the best wrestler in all of mixed martial arts?" you might not even know that Ben "Funky" Askren exists. Typical fans would likely invoke the usual suspects such as Georges St. Pierre, Jon Jones, or Josh Koscheck. Which is almost hilarious when you consider how much better Askren actually is than any of the above.
Askren was a combined 87-0 throughout his junior and senior years at the University of Missouri. He was the national runner-up in both his freshman and sophomore seasons and the national champion his junior and senior years. He was a four time NCAA All-American, only the 12th wrestler to do that in the history of the sport.
Coming out of college, Askren set his eyes on a larger goal: The Olympics. The former Missouri Tiger was able to defeat Tyrone Lewis in consecutive matches to claim his spot on the 2008 United States Olympic wrestling team. While Askren would fail to medal at the Olympics, his mere appearance at the most prestigious wrestling competition puts him light years above most other MMA wrestlers.
Askren could undoubtedly make a run at the 2012 Olympic team yet again, but the current Bellator welterweight champion is focused on mixed martial arts.
"I mean I'm automatically qualified for the trials," Askren told MMA Fight Corner presented by FiveKnuckles.com. "So, like, I might show up for (expletives) and giggles but no serious training will go into it."
It seems almost ironic that the current welterweight king, Georges St. Pierre, has flirted with the idea of attempting a run at the 2012 Canadian Olympic wrestling team while Askren seems content to continue his ascent up the mixed martial arts mountain.
St. Pierre successfully making the team doesn't seem too likely when you hear Askren talk about the Canadian martial artist. When running off a list of the best wrestlers to currently compete inside the cage, St. Pierre's name was noticeably absent.
"I'd say myself," Askren said when asked who the best wrestler in mixed martial arts currently is. "Then Daniel Cormier. He would say himself though if you asked him the question."
"[Josh] Koscheck won an NCAA title but me and Daniel made the Olympic team. You got Mo Lawal, he made a world team. Koscheck would be up there. You got Johny Hendricks, he won two national titles. Phil Davis won national titles. As more and more elite wrestlers are getting into it, people like Koscheck kinda get moved down the list a little bit."
Askren contends that St. Pierre shouldn't even be mentioned among the best wrestlers due to his lack of credentials outside of mixed martial arts.
"As far as GSP is concerned, I don't think he is very good for a pure wrestler at all," Askren said. "What has he done to ever prove that? He never wrestled in any competitions. Yeah he has good MMA wrestling, but that's not the same."
It's a powerful claim for someone with a mere eight professional fights, but one that Askren can make confidently due to his wrestling prowess. There is little doubt that Askren could defeat St. Pierre in a wrestling match, but what about a martial arts bout? In the sport that St. Pierre has dominated for almost five years?
While most fighters of such little experience would look like a deer in the headlights when asked their thoughts on facing one of the best fighters of all time, Askren remained confident in his abilities.
"I think he'd [Georges St. Pierre] have a significant advantage standing," Askren said. "But best scenario, I think I'd have the upper hand on the ground. I'd at least be able to hold my own."
While it may be awhile before talks of an Askren vs. St. Pierre fight take off, Askren is determined to hear them someday.
Askren is currently the welterweight champion of Bellator Fighting Championship, a relatively young promotion ripe with young talent. Employing a tournament format, fighters must win an 8-man tournament in order to earn a shot at the current titleholder. The welterweight finals kick off later tonight where Rick Hawn takes on Jay Hieron in order to square off against Askren. For what it's worth, Askren has picked Hawn to defeat the former Strikeforce fighter.
As Askren continues to round out his game and improve with Bellator, he would like to one day move on from what many consider the "minor leagues" of mixed martial arts.
"I mean yeah, obviously it's my goal to be the best fighter in the world and at this time the only way to do that is through the UFC," Askren said. "So yeah, I'll be in the UFC and hopefully it won't be that long."
Upon entrance into the UFC a whole slew of welterweights immediately become available for Askren to challenge. From Jake Shields to Thiago Alves to Carlos Condit, the UFC practically has a stranglehold on the top talent at 170 pounds. While Askren didn't call out any fighters by name, he is quite displeased with how a few of them conduct themselves.
Coming from his wrestling background, Askren sees no reason that guys shouldn't be able to make their contractually agreed upon weight. All weight classes seem to have fighters who struggle to reach their target weight, but none are quite as notorious as the current crop of welterweights. When message board warriors consistently joke about guys like Thiago Alves and Anthony Johnson not making you weight, you know there might be a problem.
"They're just cowards," Askren said. "They should bump up a weight class. What are you scared of fighting guys bigger than you? If you really, truly can't make, say 170, you're gonna be fairly good sized for 185. I mean I walk around anywhere between 183 and 187. And 170, I can make it and it's not that difficult."
"So yeah, those guys are idiots. I think it's immature and cowardly."
Not many things get Askren as heated as guys not making weight, except fans complaining about the judging in MMA. Coming from his wrestling background, Askren has heard it all. From the fact that wrestlers get special treatment from referees to the fact that the current North American scoring system is biased towards point-based fighters.
Askren knows that there are countless questionable decisions in the sport, but he has bigger fish to fry when it comes to the judging debate.
"First of all, the fans don't know," Askren said. "Most your fans who are at a regular event are uneducated about the sport of mixed martial arts. So what the fan's opinion is, I don't really care. But yes, there have been some bad decisions lately."
The preceding comments were made during Askren's recent appearance on MMA Fight Corner presented by FiveKnuckles.com. You can listen to the interview in its entirety in the link below:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/14299770#utm_campaign=synclickback&source=http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/2-3956/Ben-Askren-eyes-the-UFC,-hoping-to-one-day-become-the-best-fighter-in-the-world.html&medium=14299770
Source:http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/2-3956/Ben-Askren-eyes-the-UFC,-hoping-to-one-day-become-the-best-fighter-in-the-world.html
