By the time Ben Askren first stepped inside the UFC Octagon, the former two-time D1 collegiate wrestling champion already had a decorated combat sports career. Unbeaten through the first 10 years and 20 bouts of his MMA journey, Askren picked up titles in Bellator and ONE Championship—before finally signing with the world’s largest MMA promotion in 2019, after a short lived retirement.
For all his hard work and accolades, however, the lasting memory of Askren for many modern MMA fans came just five seconds into his second UFC bout—when Jorge Masvidal sprinted across the cage and sent Askren sprawling with a perfectly placed flying knee.