Ben Askren has impressed many with how he’s handled his UFC 239 loss.
While some believe Askren doesn’t deserve praise as he engaged in trash talk with Jorge Masvidal, others feel “Funky” is taking this one on the chin better than most can. Askren was the victim of a record-setting feat. He was knocked out in five seconds courtesy of a flying knee from “Gamebred.” It’s the fastest knockout in UFC history.
Coach Says Askren Has ‘Special Winning Attitude’
Askren’s coach, Duke Roufus, was a guest on MMA Junkie Radio. On the show, Roufus explained why he feels Askren has handled the loss with grace:
“One, it’s a special winning attitude. Even in losing, he’s going to focus on winning again right away, and how do you do that? You own it, you deal with [it], you accept it and you figure it out. He’s a great role model for young wrestlers, athletes and mixed martial arts.
“Don’t play the blame game. It’s so easy to make up excuses. It’s a mixed martial arts fight. He also gave Jorge a lot of credit – great move, and he even said he doesn’t deserve a rematch. Ben’s very candid, and that’s what I love about him.”
Askren is now 1-1 under the UFC banner. While he was the fifth-ranked UFC welterweight going into his bout with Masvidal, he’s fallen to the ninth position. This is the first loss in Askren’s professional mixed martial arts career.
Do you think Ben Askren deserves praise for how he’s handled his UFC 239 loss, or did he simply get his comeuppance?
