It was Duke Roufus’ first day working with Ben Askren at the Roufusport Academy in Milwaukee when the decorated wrestler approached with a request.
Askren, who’d wrestled in the 2008 Summer Olympics and less than one year later transitioned to MMA, was there to help Alan Belcher prepare for his fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100. He needed some tape. No problem, Roufus replied. Happy to help.
“He goes, ‘Yeah, I was just wrestling in Russia, and my finger popped out of my skin,’” Roufus told MMA Fighting.