Ben Askren retired nearly 18 months ago. He was content to end his mixed martial arts career as one of the best fighters never to compete in the UFC.
Although the unbeaten former Missouri Tigers wrestling star had dominated competition around the world for nearly a decade, his tactical fighting style and his personal beefs with UFC President Dana White had kept him off the sport’s biggest stage — and Askren insists he was at peace with it all.
“I can only control things I can control,” Askren said. “There was a guy who didn’t like me, and I can’t control that, and that was the reason I didn’t fight the better guys.