Let’s Get This Straight.
Ben Askren Is A World Champion and an Olympian.
Many Mixed Martial Arts organizations have much to offer but…. that Olympian credential, means that Ben Askren was one of the baddest dudes on the planet. And that credential is not up for argument.
Can we argue where he ranks in MMA? Yes.
But, not about him being one of the baddest men on the planet in 2008? Nope! Not at all.
Now since we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s begin.
Let’s look at a few things.
Ben Askren is a Mixed Martial Arts competitor. He is also a world class competitor from the sport of wrestling. He has traveled the world and has a wider view of the sporting landscape than most. Where most people, see one or two organizations, he sees the world wide opportunity of Mixed Martial Arts, the continued growth of the sport and the best long term and short term options for himself.
And to make the argument that the best in the world fight one organization or the other would be false. There is no standard system for inclusion in any MMA organization and you would need an undisputed champion to make such a distinction.
The error that we make as onlookers and fans is one of comparison. Case in point, when Gilbert Melendez fought Shinya Aoki a few years ago, many looked at that fight as Gilbert Melendez dominating and also as American MMA being superior to the Asian brand of MMA. And while Melendez did in fact win, he did so under a different set of rules. Very different. It’s like taking an undefeated national champion Greco roman wrestler and putting him in a freestyle wrestling competition and then saying that he lost a wrestling match. In furtherance, in Asia Shinya Aoki beat Eddie Alvarez but lost to him in the United States. The amount of time and ability that Shinya Aoki is given to butt scoot in the Asian based organization is different and has an effect on the chronological landscape of the match. There is also a different philosophical view that many take based upon their experience with combat and combat sports. Some people view the refusal of going to the ground as “refusing to fight” while some people view the refusal to stand back up as “refusing to fight.” Both can be viewed as correct but the American and European brands of MMA have a distinct stand up bias based upon our history with boxing while other brands such as the asian brand do allow more work and time on the ground. Such a distinction is neither good nor bad, its just beneficial to acknowledge the presence of such bias.
So, now we revisit our question and then put in within five basic categories.
Did Ben Askren Make The Right Decision By Signing With One FC
Personally:
Ben has a wife and family and the ability for them to travel internationally and watch him fight is a great opportunity for the family. And the opportunity of being a huge international star and then being able to return home to some sense of normalcy is a HUGE benefit.
Financially:
The enormous paydays that you know of but don’t hear of in MMA are real, but they are usually the Pay-per-view deals and only the headliners and main event fighters get an option to negotiate for such monies. The payouts are made such that, the bottom dweller in the organization doesn’t have a real argument to ask for more money and the strength of the brand, of wanting to be a “Cage Fighter” is usually the only compensation that some want or need. I’ve heard many aspiring MMA fighters say that they would fight in the some organizations for free if they could just get the shot. I will never call someone’s dreams silly but fighting for free is…. well…. Silly. Ben Askren has stated that his deal provides him with such pay that meets a level of satisfaction for him and is on par with what he could expect in and from other organizations per his ranking. Also there is a GIGANTIC opportunity for wrestling clinics wrestling camps, and wrestling seminars in Asia. So that marketplace seems like a great opportunity for him financially as well.
Stylistically:
Based upon Ben Askren’s style. The one that has made him an undefeated international Mixed Martial Arts superstar, the Bellator Champion, an Olympian and a World Champion grappler – One FC is the perfect fit. Being in a organization where the fan base has a high level of respect for grappling, is educated about the sport, does not boo, and is concerned with technical proficiency more so that an exciting slugfest is a plus for Ben. If thrust in a certain organization or situation, he could literally be placed in a situation where he takes someone down and then gets stood up because he is categorized as “boring.” The business of the promoters is to make sure fights aren’t boring. The business of competitors is to make sure that they are “effective.” And Ben Askren is not only efficient, he’s also effective. Therefore One FC is the perfect fit for him stylistically.
In closing, in my professional opinion, Ben Askren made the right move.
He’s listed as one of the top ranked welterweight fighters in the world now and if he continues to win his ranking and legend will not decrease, it will increase. A small case of futuring provides a future view that Ben Askren has the opportunity to become the next Fedor of our lifetime. Someone who never touches the UFC and gets donned as one of the baddest men on the planet.
Was it a great move? It seems to be a great one on paper, but only time will tell.
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To contact Rhadi Ferguson you may follow him on twitter at @rhadi 0r @JudoDoc
He made the right decision…I mean..he’s going to get paid a ton of money to fight lesser competition…more money than he would have made in WSOF….However…to your statement here:
“He’s listed as one of the top ranked welterweight fighters in the world now and if he continues to win his ranking and legend will not decrease, it will increase. A small case of futuring provides a future view that Ben Askren has the opportunity to become the next Fedor of our lifetime. Someone who never touches the UFC and gets donned as one of the baddest men on the planet.”
I don’t see how his ranking can increase when he’s not fighting and defeating anyone ranked top 10…and make no mistake..there is NOONE on ONE FC’s roster ranked…Also…regarding becoming the next Fedor..LOL…come on son…PRIDE at the time had the best heavyweights…which allowed Fedor to ascend to the throne by defeating Big Nog and Cro Cop, (most of the top heavyweights of that era) etc….saying that Askren can do that while at ONE FC or anywhere else without fighting in the UFC is laughable..because frankly…almost all of the top welterweights are under the Zuffa banner.
LOL!!!
That’s why I wrote “A small case of futuring”
And it doesn’t matter what competition is where. Ben Askren is Ben Askren and they can fight as much as they’d like under the Zuffa banner, they will still lack the one defining credential which sets Askren apart on the WORLD level and that is – OLYMPIAN. And as long as he’s still young and its before 2016. He will still possess some of the same “Funk” that he had back then.
“And it doesn’t matter what competition is where. Ben Askren is Ben Askren and they can fight as much as they’d like under the Zuffa banner, they will still lack the one defining credential which sets Askren apart on the WORLD level and that is – OLYMPIAN. And as long as he’s still young and its before 2016. He will still possess some of the same “Funk” that he had back then.”
Rhadi, Rhadi, Rhadi….no disrespect…but being an Olympian doesn’t mean squat when it comes to becoming the best in MMA..you have to fight and beat the best to be the best (Channeling my inner Ric Flair here).being an Olympian certainly didn’t mean anything when Askren fought life and death with the likes of Jay Hieron…lol…so I suppose because Apolo Ohno is an Olympian…he can come to MMA and be the best?
That was never my point of contention nor the issue. The statement was that he has earned that distinction and that distinction cannot be earned in the world of mms and the credential, in and of itself, trumps anything that MMA has to offer. It is a worldwide recognized credential coming from a reputable brand that has time and strength behind it that no MMA organization can touch. That was my point.
It also, in the area of combat sports, has a level of difficulty, prestige and worldwide inclusion associated with it.
And being an Olympian does not mean anything when it comes to being the best in MMA. I agree.
But being an Olympian did mean something when Askren fought Jay Hieron. You just aren’t familiar with what it meant.
MMA really isn’t that impressive to most high level athletes. This is why we do it AFTER our careers are over. MMA is the “what’s next” for most Olympians, not what they do first.
THERE IS NO COMPARISON TO GOING TO THE OLYMPICS.
NONE!
And anybody who says different is touting the political “party line.”
And the Olympian Credential still sets Askren apart because there was a time when he competed against some of the best combat sportsmen in the world. And it doesn’t matter if he wins another MMA title or not. His ability to be one of the best in the world is already established. And in an art which has been shown to have a great impact and beneficial amount of crossover in MMA.
The Apolo reference was funny but also out of context, as you and I know he’s a short track speed skater. But just so that you know. I have NEVER seen anyone train as hard as Apolo EVER. That’s just some bonus info for you.
Your point about being an Olympian is pointless when the original issue was about Askren fighting to be the best in MMA.
“MMA really isn’t that impressive to most high level athletes. This is why we do it AFTER our careers are over. MMA is the “what’s next” for most Olympians, not what they do first.”
Of course it isn’t what your era of Olympic athlete does first…the first UFC didn’t happen until you were already in college…so of course you wouldn’t have done MMA first since you wouldn’t have had any idea what you were training for since the sport didn’t even exist while you were growing up.
Also…I see you TOTALLY backed off that non-sense of Askren being the next Fedor….lol…