Ben Askren, a UFC fighter who boasts multiple accolades, announced his retirement from mixed martial arts on Monday.
“I think it’s quite obvious what I’m going to say. I’m retiring from the sport of MMA and frankly I’m retired from everything,” Askren told ESPN. “Obviously, it was something I was considering.”
The 35-year-old Iowa native — who has won both Bellator and One Welterweight championships — cited ongoing hip issues as his reason and said he would need a replacement. Askren (19-2, 1 no contest) signed with UFC in March and last fought in October, when Demian Maia defeated him by submission. Askren’s first career loss came against Jorge Masvidal this summer via a record-breaking five-second knockout but beat Robbie Lawler with a controversial choke earlier this year.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.
Askren, who is nicknamed “Funky,” is also a wrestler who represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and who won three gold medals for the U.S.: at the Pan American Games in Guatemala City in 2005, at the U.S. Championships in Las Vegas in 2008 and at the World Championships in Fort Lauderdale in 2009. The first two honors were for wrestling, while the third was for grappling.
SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW
Dozens of MMA fighters, from Bellator star Dillon Danis to Corey Anderson and Douglas Lima, used social media to wish Askren well following his retirement announcement:
With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…
https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…
Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…