Ben Askren dominated Douglas Lima back in 2012 when he was the Bellator welterweight champion, but lately the pair of fighters have been on different career trajectories.
Last weekend, Lima recaptured the Bellator championship with a lopsided win over Rory MacDonald, while Askren fell to 1-2 in the UFC with a third-round submission loss to Demian Maia. After winning his first 19 pro fights, Askren has suddenly lost two straight and is far away from a shot at UFC gold.
When asked about Askren’s recent stumble, Lima called it “crazy.”
“He just doesn’t look as good as in shape as he did before,” Lima told The Luke Thomas Show on Monday.