“Heartache.”
That’s how Ben Askren’s coach Duke Roufus described his immediate reaction to seeing his fighter dropped to the mat in less time than it took Bruce Buffer to announce Askren’s name. Not only did Askren suffer his first MMA defeat at the hands of heated rival Jorge Masvidal, the finish made UFC history as the fastest knockout ever recorded in the Octagon.
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Roufus lamented the missed opportunity for the previously unbeaten Askren to cement himself as a UFC welterweight title contender, but he’s been encouraged by how Askren has handled the loss and how he expects him to bounce back from it.