UFC boss wants to talk to Ben Askren, not pursuing Paul Daley

BOSTON – UFC President Dana White said his promotion may very well be interested in Bellator welterweight champion and current free agent Ben Askren. Controversial British slugger Paul Daley, not so much.

“We’ll talk to Ben,” White said following Thursday’s pre-UFC Fight Night 26 press conference. “Yeah, we’ll talk to him.”

Askren (12-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA), a four-time collegiate All-American wrestler, turned to MMA in 2009. After three wins on the regional circuit, he signed with Bellator MMA and promptly claimed the promotion’s Season 2 welterweight tournament crown. In his seventh professional fight, he defeated then-champ Lyman Good to claim the promotion’s welterweight title, and he’s since successfully defended the title four times.

In July, Askren scored a TKO win over Andrey Koreshkov, fulfilling his contract in the process and becoming a free agent.

Recently, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said he is maintaining clear communications with Askren and believes the champ could return to the promotion’s roster.

“At this point, we’re having communications with Ben and we’ll see how it goes,” Rebney said. “It’ll probably just happen naturally. We’ll see. Ben and I have always had a pretty open line of communication. I like Ben.”

Askren has earned back-to-back TKO victories in his two most recent Bellator MMA appearances. However, his prior six wins were all via decision, leading some fans to question the entertainment value behind his wrestling-heavy technique.

White said he was aware of Askren’s top-game-dominance approach but wasn’t sure “Funky” would be able to replicate that success if he does make the move to the UFC.

“You can do that in Bellator, you know what I mean?” White asked. “It’s going to be tougher to do that here.”

Meanwhile, Askren wasn’t the only non-UFC fighter White was asked to address. Knockout artist Daley (33-12-2), who fought three times for the UFC before being released after a post-fight suckerpunch of Josh Koscheck at UFC 113, has in recent times made an effort to get back in White’s good graces in hopes of a return to the octagon.

Despite Daley’s 6-1 mark over his past seven fights, White said there was more to the equation than simple wins and losses.

“I think I’ve been pretty clear about where I am on Paul Daley,” White said. “I’m not saying that Paul Daley couldn’t change. But what he did, he was only guy that’s ever done that in the history of the UFC – our UFC since we’ve been here – literally walked over after you’ve just fought a guy for 15 minutes, it’s all legal, you can do whatever you want, and after the fight he walks over and suckerpunches him in the face. I hate it.”

Daley was also contracted by Bellator MMA until recently, when the fighter’s inability to secure a travel visa and his conviction on an assault charge led to the promotion terminating his deal. While the 30-year-old Brit certainly boasts a fan-friendly style, White said he’s just not quite ready to forgive and forget.

“I’m not saying that he couldn’t be forgiven and it couldn’t change, but he’d have to win some fights and – I don’t know what he’d have to do,” White said. “I’m not there though.”

UFC Fight Night 26 takes place Saturday at Boston’s TD Garden. Ten main-card and preliminary matchups air on FOX Sports 1.

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 26, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Ben Askren)