Ben Askren Announces His Retirement From MMA

Article by Ian O’Neill

Ben Askren today announced on Ariel Helwani’s MMA show that he is retiring from MMA, with a hip replacement being a major factor in his decision.

Speaking to Helwani, Askren said, “I’m retired from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and frankly I’m retired from everything”.

“I’ve a great deal of gratitude for the career that I’ve had even though it did not turn out my way towards the end.”

Usually I'd take any MMA retirement with a grain of salt, but getting a hip replacement is no joke.

If this is it, it has been a fun ride.

Askren did a great job of getting people to care, something which is becoming very rare in MMA. https://t.co/HB6QB3VDg3

— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) November 18, 2019

Askren, who turned 35 earlier this year, made his name in Bellator when he won its 170 lbs Grand Prix before defeating current UFC roster member Lyman Good to win the welterweight title in 2010. He went on to defend that title four times beating the likes of Andrey Koreshkov and Douglas Lima during that reign.

In November 2013, it was announced that Askren would vacate the welterweight strap and leave Bellator as an unbeaten champion. One month later it emerged that he would be joining the ranks at One Championship. Askren went on to win the One Championship welterweight title (185 pounds) in August 2014 and defended that belt three times before retiring for the first time on November 24, 2017.

The American came out of retirement when he was one half of the first major trade between two high profile MMA organizations as he moved to UFC from One Championship with Demetrious Johnson going the opposite direction.

In the UFC, Askren accumulated a record of 1-2. His debut was a controversial win over Robbie Lawlor, followed by a KO loss to Jorge Masvidal and a fight of the night loss to Brazilian Damian Maia. Askren retires from Mixed Martial Arts with a record of 19-2-1.