There was a time not that long ago that Ben Askren was considered one of the best mixed martial artists on the planet, largely based around his incredible wrestling game after he was a two-time NCAA champion and a member of the U.S. Olympic team.
When he retired in 2019, Askren was headed for hip surgery that would make competing in MMA nearly impossible but he didn’t close the door on possibly returning to action for the right opportunity. Of course, no one expected that Askren’s first fight in two years would come in a boxing match against YouTube celebrity Jake Paul but that’s exactly what will happen on Saturday night, April 17.