November 2, 2024

Morning Report: Ben Askren, Rory MacDonald get heated in exchange about potential Bellator matchup

MMAfighting.com

Last fall, Ben Askren chose to retire from MMA after successfully defending his ONE FC welterweight title against Shinya Aoki. But for a man who is retired, Askren sure is trying to pick fights with just about everybody in the welterweight division.

When Askren retired, he said it was because he wanted to get out of the game before he started dropping off and that he would only return to the sport for a fight with Georges St-Pierre or whoever was considered to be the top welterweight in the world. But with neither of those forthcoming, that queue has opened up even further to include UFC lightweight championKhabib Nurmagomedov, and now it appears that Askren is willing to amend “best welterweight in the world” to “any welterweight champion.” On Wednesday, Askren engaged in a war of words on Twitter with Bellator welterweight title holder Rory MacDonald, saying that he would stop “The Red King” in the third round if they fought and imploring MacDonald to make it happen.

marco polo@mmarcopoloo

@rory_macdonald i see u want champ vs champ. how about @Benaskren?? pic.twitter.com/58ZfkeXAlY

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

im good with that to

Ben Askren

@Benaskren

You think you could go the distance? I think I finish@you in round 3, the fight looks similar to what Condit did to you in round 3 https://twitter.com/rory_macdonald/status/986720452910440448 

Ben Askren

@Benaskren

You think you could go the distance? I think I finish@you in round 3, the fight looks similar to what Condit did to you in round 3 https://twitter.com/rory_macdonald/status/986720452910440448 

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

i disagree

For his part, MacDonald seemed to be into the idea and so did Bellator MMA.

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

i have asked @ScottCoker about getting you in bellator for a fight, i guesse you need to do your part

MacDonald suggesting to the promoter who holds his contract that he should make a fight with Askren, a free agent, was not enough for “Funky” though who quickly spun it so that MacDonald was attempting to duck him by blaming Bellator CEO Scott Coker. That opened up a back-and-forth between the two with Askren talking trash and MacDonald basically saying, “come sign the contract.”

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

woah woah you remember the day we were face to face, and i challanged you there on the spot and you put your tail between your legs and said i only fight for money and walked off, the only one stalling is you, if u want it to happen make a deal with bellator and im ready to go

Ben Askren

@Benaskren

Fake news. I approached you and I told you that you would be an easy nights work. You would be an easy nights work. https://twitter.com/rory_macdonald/status/986776176847966208 

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

and then i replied to youwith the challange

Ben Askren

@Benaskren

Wrong as I remembered you stuttered and got red in the face. I was coaching Pettis so I had to bounce and didn’t stick around for the reply. https://twitter.com/rory_macdonald/status/986776922221891585 

Rory MacDonald

@rory_macdonald

anyhow im about the future, not gonna dwell on you back peddling when it came down to it, do your part and sign up like a professional

MacDonald is the reigning Bellator welterweight champion, claiming the belt with a unanimous decision win over Douglas Lima at Bellator 192 in January. Askren is the former Bellator welterweight champion who was released from the organization after defending his title four times, the record for Bellator title defenses. A fight between the two would instantly be one of the biggest bouts in Bellator history.

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