Bellator's Andrey Koreshkov: Champ Ben Askren 'has no idea what he is in for'

Undefeated Russian contender Andrey Koreshkov (13-0 MMA, 5-0 BFC) has an important message for Bellator MMA welterweight champion Ben Askren (11-0 MMA, 8-0 BFC): Enjoy your title run because it ends in less than three weeks.

“Ben Askren has never faced a challenge like me,” Koreshkov told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I’m younger, faster, stronger and more powerful than anyone he has faced. I have prepared for nothing but him for months.

“He’s never faced anyone with my standup skills and game off my back and my ability to get up. He has no idea what he is in for later this month.”

Koreshkov and Askren meet in the co-main event of “Bellator 97: Chandler vs. Rickels,” which takes place July 31 at Santa Ana Center in Albuquerque. THe night’s main card airs on Spike TV following prelims that stream on Spike.com.

The 22-year-old Koreshkov made his Bellator debut in 2012. After two non-tournament wins, he entered into the promotion’s Season 7 welterweight tournament, where he earned wins over tough competition in Lyman Good, Marius Zaromskis and Jordan Smith on his way to booking the championship fight with Askren.

Meanwhile, Askren was a four-time Division I wrestling All-American and is also undefeated in his MMA career. After winning the promotion’s Season 2 tournament crown, Askren defeated then-champ Good to win the title and has already earned three defenses of the belt in addition to a non-title superfight.

Askren’s game is unapologetically based on his wrestling prowess, and he does a fantastic job of controlling the pace and positioning of his fights while mentally breaking his opponents who are largely stuck on their backs.

“Ben gets on top and simply outworks his opponents,” Koreshkov said. “He steals their hearts. He stole Karl Amoussou‘s heart, Douglas Lima‘s and others. He will not steal my heart. He will not outwork me. He will not keep me down. I am very different from those other fighters.”

How different remains to be seen. If Koreshkov is able to stay on his feet, he could very well prove Askren’s toughest test to date. However, that certainly is no easy task, as witnessed by the champ’s wrestling success on the international level, as well.

Koreshkov, at least on the surface, seems completely unimpressed and pointed to his success in pankration and hand-to-hand combat competitions.

“Ben is a man no, different from me,” Koreshkov said. “Ben has won medals in the U.S., and I’ve won medals here in Russia. I have been singularly focused on nothing but Ben Askren for seven months. I am very different from the others.

“I’ve never been beaten, and my heart has never been tested in a fight. Ben’s reign ends July 31. That is the night this puzzle gets solved.”

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