Ben Askren

Ben Askren
Data
Fight name	Funky
size	178 cm
Weight	77 kg
nationality	Americans
Date of birth	July 18, 1984
Fight out	Scottsdale , Arizona ( USA)
place of birth
team	Lions Den
MMA statistics
Victories	19th
Knockout	6th
task	5
Points	7th
Other	0
Defeats	2
Knockout	1
task	1
Points	0
Other	0

Ben Askren (born July 18, 1984 in Cedar Rapids , Iowa ) is a former American mixed martial arts fighter who last competed in the UFC welterweight division . At Bellator he was world champion in this weight class.

Askren previously competed for the University of Missouri as a wrestler and was able to win the state championships twice.

In the NCAA he lost the championship fight in the weight class up to 174 pounds in 2004 and 2005 against Chris Pendleton , but was able to win this in 2006 and 2007. At the 2008 Summer Olympics , he competed for the US team in the weight class up to 74 kg. He was able to win the first fight against István Veréb, but later lost to the Cuban Iván Fundora .

He then tried his hand at grappling with mixed successes and entered the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship .

Askren started his MMA career on February 7, 2009. He won all of his fights at Bellator and became welterweight champion of that organization on October 21, 2010. He then moved to One Championship and was also able to win the welterweight title there. In exchange with Demetrious Johnson, he moved from One Championship to the UFC and won his debut against Robby Lawler before he suffered his first and only knockout loss against Jorge Masvidal 5 seconds after the start of the fight. After another defeat by submission to Demian Maia, he ended his martial arts career in November 2019.

Askren got the nickname "Funky" because of his unorthodox style of wrestling. There was no name for his style so people started calling his style "The Funk".

Combat Statistics

Result	opponent	Siegart	event	date
victory	Lyman Good	Point decision	Bellator 33	October 21, 2010
victory	Dan Hornbuckle	Point decision	Bellator 22	June 17, 2010
victory	Ryan Thomas	Point decision	Bellator 19	May 20, 2010
victory	Ryan Thomas	task	Bellator 14	April 15, 2010
victory	Matt Delnoit	task	Max Fights DM: Ballroom Brawl	August 28, 2009
victory	Mitchell Harris	task	Headhunter Productions 2: The Patriot Act	April 25, 2009
victory	Josh Flowers	TKO	Headhunter Productions 1: The Patriot Act	February 7, 2009

Web links

• MMA profile on Sherdog.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Team USA, profile on teamusa.org
2. ↑ Ben Askren retires from martial arts, [1]
3. ^ Fighters Only, 12/2010 edition, November 5, 2010