Ben Askren thinks it would be disingenuous if he didn’t pick Jorge Masvidal as his 2019 “Fighter of the Year.”
It might have been hard for [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] to admit, but [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] is his ‘Fighter of the Year.’
Askren was infamously on the receiving end of one of the greatest knockouts of all time when he was starched by Masvidal’s flying knee in a record-breaking five seconds at UFC 239.
The knockout was one of three stoppage wins for Masvidal in 2019. He also went into hostile territory as a betting underdog to take out Darren Till in the second round in London, and produced a striking clinic against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 to capture the “BMF” title by doctor’s stoppage.
Giving credit where it’s due, Askren agrees with many that Masvidal had a spectacular 2019.
“I’d like to pick Israel Adesanya over him, but I think – I feel like that would be disingenuous,” Askren told ESPN. “If I have to look at it from a non-biased perspective, it’s freakin’ Jorge, and if you said that was going to happen a year ago, everyone would have said ‘You’re on drugs,’ or have some type of issue. But unfortunately, I think he deserves it.”
Askren engaged in a lot of pre-fight antics with Masvidal, and ultimately paid a heavy price for it. But the former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion, who recently announced his retirement from MMA, said he had no hard feelings toward “Gamebred.”
“It doesn’t hurt me. That’s what it is – that’s the truth. That’s the reality of the situation: It doesn’t hurt at all,” Askren said. “Now, does it feel good? No, it doesn’t feel good, either. But it’s not … that’s what happened.”
This list is filled with shocking and sensational knockouts and submissions from the 2010s.
Given that my colleagues already have done a fantastic job of covering everything from the top fighters to the top moments of the decade, I figured I’d contribute to the retrospective content by examining some of the more memorable fight finishes from the last 10 years – parsing out technical trends and evolution while paying homage to performances that are worthy of the ole “Baba O’Riley” highlight reel.
As you’d hope with any maturing sport, the cultural fist-fighting phenomena that is MMA has improved from many perspectives.
Aside from the obvious growth of audience and accessibility, the quality of fighting, in general, has seen a sure-and-steady uptick since 2010 – particularly in the athleticism department. In fact, you could argue that one of the quiet benefits to the global expansion and corporate interest-era of this past decade is the increase in the level of athletes we’re seeing accumulate in MMA’s proverbial talent pools.
Not only have more Olympic medalists and collegiate athletes successfully made the jump to mixed martial arts, but we’ve also seen small countries like Surname or unassuming giants like China make their mark in regards to flexing their athletic powers. Coupled with the ever-growing index of techniques (from fighting to fight prep), and we’ve been privy to fighters – from all around the world – finding increasingly fun and explosive ways to finish fights.
Since it’s practically impossible to include all of the best fight finishes from the past 10 years, I decided to limit myself to 20 selections that I believe helped shape the state of fighting over the last 10 years.
Without further ado …
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‘Shogun Rua’ knocks out Lyoto Machida
‘Shogun’ Rua and Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. (Getty Images)
Date: May 6, 2010 Event: UFC 113
With Frankie Edgar dethroning B.J. Penn just one month prior, the decade starts off with what are the beginnings of a trend in regards to “auras of invincibility” being shattered, as well as stylistic conundrums being figured out. And sure enough, after finishing the previous decade off with a sour decision at UFC 104, [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] exacted his revenge in 2010 by emphatically ending the undefeated streak of then-light heavyweight champion [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] at UFC 113.
Not only did Rua build off of his previous successes of low kicks and right hands to eventually find the crashing counter, but he also provided a useful blueprint for future fighters when it comes to dealing with karate stylists in mixed martial arts (see Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page or Anthony Pettis vs. Stephen Thompson).
Fabricio Werdum submits Fedor Emelianenko
Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. (Getty Images)
Date: June 26, 2010 Event: Strikeforce/M-1 Global: “Fedor vs. Werdum”
As I mentioned, 2010 in MMA was essentially the first few seasons of “Game of Thrones” wrapped into one year in regards to watching our heroes fall.
[autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], who finishes 2009 with a surprisingly competitive fight with Brett Rogers, starts off the decade with a rude reminder from [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] that the guard still works in mixed martial arts.
At this particular time in the sport, the jiu-jitsu guard was trending down both in popularity and proven application at the highest levels; therefore seeing someone like Fedor (of all people) falling into the grappling honeytrap was incredibly surprising. To Werdum’s credit, he masterfully played possum like an NBA player trying to draw an offensive foul, further placating Fedor’s strong sense of security from topside – something that ultimately cost the Russian his legendary winning streak.
Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen
Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen at UFC 117.
Date: Aug. 7, 2010 Event: UFC 117
It’s hard to forget fights that happen on your birthday, especially when it comes to classics like this one.
[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag], who had surprised me with his brand of promotional candor since his WEC victory over Bryan Baker, ended up surprising us all by backing up his words when taking on the great [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] at UFC 117.
After four-plus rounds of domination from Sonnen, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Silva was going by the wayside like Fedor, Penn and Machida had done months before him. However, despite being down on the scorecards (as well as sporting an injured rib), Silva shows off elite, clutch-player sensibilities that would make the likes of Michael Jordan or Reggie Miller proud, as the then-UFC champ secured a triangle-armbar submission in the fifth round that reminded us all there are no safe spaces in MMA so long as there’s time on the clock.
Edson Barboza TKOs Mike Lullo
Date: Nov. 20, 2010 Event: UFC 123
Legend bashing wasn’t the only thing going on in MMA back in 2010, as there were fighters like [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] stepping onto the scene to help start/reinforce the trend of leg bashing.
Sure, the decade prior had a solid offering of leg kickers like Pedro Rizzo, Pat Barry and Antoni Hardonk, but it’s hard to ignore that those men were all heavyweights while Barboza – the only fighter to officially earn two leg-kick TKOs under the UFC banner – is a lightweight.
Of course, Jose Aldo’s domination over Urijah Faber at WEC 48 would’ve also been a great example to list if it fit the bill for a fight finish, but it’s ultimately hard to deny Barboza’s consistent commitment to killing his opposition with kicks, as well as his contributions toward this decade’s trend of attacking the legs.
Jorge Masvidal trashed Colby Covington on how poorly he’s handled his loss to Kamaru Usman by complimenting Ben Askren.
[autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] has thrown more shade towards [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], but this time he did so by complimenting an unlikely former foe.
While many people find it hard to believe that the beef between former best friends and teammates Masvidal and Covington is real, they continue to trash each other.
Covington fell short in his pursuit of the UFC welterweight title Saturday at UFC 245, when he suffered a fifth-round TKO loss to champion Kamaru Usman in a fight that he could have been en route to winning.
The fight was stopped with 50 seconds remaining, and Covington has openly protested referee Marc Goddard’s stoppage, claiming it was too early. Following the loss, Covington left the octagon and ran back to the locker room, which he was heavily criticized for.
Masvidal, who’d already piled on once before, was happy to chime in a second time on how poorly he thought Covington handled the loss – but this time by complimenting Ben Askren in the process.
Shout out to @Benaskren who never tucked tail after his loss. Made no excuses. Took it on the chin and never censored the haters like a coward #theresurrection
Shout out to @Benaskren who never tucked tail after his loss. Made no excuses. Took it on the chin and never censored the haters like a coward #theresurrection
Sometimes life kicks your butt when you least expect it. Make no excuses and move on.
Masvidal, of course, is referencing how Askren handled being knocked out by him in a record five seconds earlier this year after Askren talked a whole lot of trash in the lead-up to UFC 239. Masvidal did his fair share of gloating since the fight.
Leave it to Covington bring these two together.
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The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
There were some incredible knockouts in the UFC in 2019, including a few memorable ones by Jorge Masvidal, who had a monster year that concluded for him by winning the BMF belt in his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 (though hopefully they run that one back).
We saw big knockouts in title fights, big-name fights, early prelim fights – just about everywhere.
Will there be anymore at UFC 245 this weekend, a monster event that has three title fights on its main card?
While we get ready for that huge night of fights, let’s look back at the 10 best KOs from the past year.
10. Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith, UFC Washington.
This one happened just a few days ago as Muradov kicked off UFC Washington by sending Smith’s mouthguard flying to the moon.
9. Johnny Walker vs. Misha Cirkunov, UFC 235.
Walker’s flying knee just 30 seconds into this fight was a thing of beauty. His celebration afterward wasn’t, however, as he dislocated his shoulder while doing the worm.
8. Josh Emmett vs. Michael Johnson, UFC Philadelphia.
Masvidal had an incredible 2019, which began with this brutal KO of Darren Till in enemy territory in London. Not sure that last punch while Till was out was super necessary, but the BMF does as he pleases. We’ll get to another one of his awesome KO’s in a few.
Pettis’ superman punch with five seconds left in the second round of his fight against Wonderboy Thompson was a beautiful piece of controlled violence.
This fight had so much hype behind it and then… it was over in five seconds thanks to a flying knee that will never be forgotten. Five seconds! It led to this great reaction from Paul Felder, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik:
You legally have to watch this three times to watch how great Felder, Rogan, and Anik’s reactions are to the Jorge Masvidal KO pic.twitter.com/nEPjoU1UMZ
MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 3 of “Spinning Back Clique.”
Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze touch on the biggest storylines around the world of MMA and take a quick look back at a lackluster UFC on ESPN+ 22 show.
Show rundown:
[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] announced his retirement from MMA on Monday after an eventful UFC stint in which he went 1-2 with the promotion. What does this mean for the former undefeated Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion’s legacy? Is there more to judge than just his win-loss record inside the octagon?
[autotag]Nick Diaz [/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]: Buying or selling? And should Diaz even return to the cage after such a long absence?
UFC Sao Paulo was, well … it was not the most memorable evening in MMA history. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] won. [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] fought to a split draw. It’s no surprise there wasn’t a “Fight of the Night” bonus handed out. But, hey, at least there was [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] scoring another finish. What was the biggest takeaway from the card?
Bellator star [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] returns this week to headline Bellator Europe 6 in London, and he’s facing … a newcomer. What is Bellator doing here? Will it let “Venom” face real competition or not?
For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 3 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above.
Analysis of Ben Askren’s decision to retire from MMA following a notable three-fight UFC tenure.
[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] announced his retirement from MMA on Monday, bringing an end to his 11-year, 22-fight career.
The UFC welterweight cited the need for hip-replacement surgery as one of the major determining factors in making the decision, which comes less than one month after Askren (19-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered a submission loss to Demian Maia in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 20 in Singapore.
Askren’s UFC tenure only lasted less than eight months from the first time he stepped into the octagon to the last, but he managed to make that time period memorable, even if some of the reasons for that weren’t particularly positive for him.
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The former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder was a polarizing figure, which means he made an impression during his stay in MMA
Watch the video above for analysis on Askren’s retirement decision and brief UFC run.
What type of UFC legacy does Ben Askren have in wake of his retirement? MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Nolan King, and Dave Doyle ponder the “Funky” one.
[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] surprised the MMA world Monday by announcing his retirement, just over a year after making a much-hyped entrance to the UFC. The former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion went 1-2 in the company, with a high-profile win over Robbie Lawler, a legendary knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal, and a submission loss to Demian Maia. So what is Askren’s UFC legacy? MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Nolan King, and Dave Doyle hash it out in Triple Take.
Mike Bohn: Ben Askren UFC run was successful for selfish reasons
It doesn’t feel very successful at the moment, but after some time elapses, Askren will look back fondly on his UFC tenure. The results weren’t what he wanted, but it will still go down as the most important and telling chapter of his career.
Yeah, Askren did some good things in Bellator and ONE Championship. Better than that, actually. He won the welterweight title in both promotions. The competition always left something to be desired, though, and as Askren racked up a 18-0 record outside the UFC, both fans and the man himself were left asking the same question: How good is Ben Askren?
The opportunity to find out didn’t come until the unprecedented “trade” for Demetrious Johnson, which went down when Askren was in his mid-30s and already retired, but “Funky” still ultimately discovered where he stands in the sport. And despite his strongest beliefs and efforts, it wasn’t at the top.
No doubt that’s a disappointing reality for him, but now Askren can walk away with peace of mind. He will not grow old agonizing about never getting his UFC shot or being able to share the octagon with some of the absolute best 170-pound fighters out there. Those experiences should serve as comfort as Askren transitions into the next chapter of life, and that’s invaluable.
Askren got his answers about his ceiling as an MMA fighter, and despite a hip replacement surgery being on the horizon, he did so with his health largely in check. He also made quality money for three UFC fights he never expected to happen in the first place.
Is all that worth trading the past year of his life and an undefeated record for? Askren would almost certainly say so.
Next page — Nolan King: Askren proved he was a star
The MMA community largely showed respect for Ben Askren after the UFC welterweight announced his MMA retirement.
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[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] called it a career on Monday, announcing his retirement from MMA after 22 career bouts.
Although Askren (19-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) didn’t reach the pinnacle under the UFC banner, he won titles in Bellator and ONE Championship and made a name for himself in the sport on a level few others have reached.
Askren was often a polarizing figure, but after revealing he was done with the sport, many within the MMA community expressed positive opinions about him. Check below to the see top Twitter reactions to Askren’s retirement.
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#UFC welterweight Ben Askren announces retirement, cites hip replacement surgery as determining factor https://t.co/ttxdiHuUNr
Can't say I'm surprised by Ben Askren's retirement. He didn't have a great run the UFC, but it's amazing how much buzz he generated in less than one year. Regardless, great career, one of the very few who was able to make a big name fighting outside the UFC.
"I'm retired from the sport of mixed martial arts and frankly, I'm retired from everything."@Benaskren cites needing a hip replacement as a factor in his retirement (via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/OZLG2ZDTBj
Congratulations to the man who got me into MMA on a hell of a career. Cheers to you @Benaskren ! Thanks for guiding me in the right direction as a wrestling coach, my influencer into fighting, and always giving me business advice. All the best in your next venture. #ufc#funkyben
Askren: I’ve never brought these hip issues up. I don’t want people to think that was the reason I lost. I lost because I wasn’t good enough. My opponents were better. I don’t want these to be viewed as excuses. #HelwaniShow
Congratulations to @Benaskren on an amazing career. You had us on the edge of our seats. Thank you for all the wonderful entertainment and setting a great example on how to conduct oneself.
Don't go too far, though. The sport wants and needs more Funky.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
