Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Thumb for an Eye: Ben Askren-Luis Sapo Ends in No-Contest Atop One Championship 26

Ben Askren kept his hold on the One Championship welterweight crown but not under the circumstances he desired.

An inadvertent but devastating thumb to the eye left challenger Luis Santos unable to continue in the One Championship 26 “Valor of Champions” headliner on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines. The blow took the steam out of the entire show, resulted in an unsatisfied crowd and led to a no-contest 2:19 into round one.

Santos held his own until the foul. The well-traveled 35-year-old Brazilian shut down a takedown attempt from the four-time NCAA All-American wrestler and countered by sending a head kick in Askren’s direction, forcing him to disengage.