Dana White: ‘Trust Me When I Tell You This, Ben Askren Does Not Want to Fight in the UFC’

Ben Askren has been successful fighting for One FC. | Courtesy One FC

The examples of Askren’s displeasure with the UFC are endless, but immediately following the promotion announcing its newly-reached agreement with CM Punk on the live pay-per-view broadcast, “Funky” -- who was in attendance to corner both Sergio and Anthony Pettis at UFC 181 in Las Vegas -- took to Twitter to weigh-in on the move.

In the most recent edition of the “The Download With Dana White”, the company’s president made it clear where he presently stands with Askren and questions the former Bellator MMA champion’s desire to ever step foot in the Octagon.

“The thing is with Ben Askren is that Ben Askren doesn’t really want to fight here, in my opinion. People that are close to him say the same thing,” White said. “The guy is making a ton of money to fight nobodies, but when you talk and you say a lot of things it keeps your name out there. Trust me when I tell you this, Ben Askren does not want to fight in the UFC. Believe me when I tell you that.”

Ever since Askren met with the UFC brass in 2013, it has been unclear how the 30-year-old would manage to mend fences with the promotion, especially with the incessant derogatory comments Askren makes about the company, White and the former 170-pound champion Johny Hendricks.

White has opened up to signing the elite grappler in the past, notably following UFC 177 in Sacramento, when White acknowledged Askren’s most recent victory over Nobutatsu Suzuki atOne FC 19.

“If Ben Askren keeps winning, he will get a shot over here,” White told media then.

The Roufusport team member currently has a contract with One FC, and it is unclear how that would affect any sort of transition to the UFC in the future.