With UFC 233’s cancellation on Wednesday, fights that were booked for that event needed to be moved ASAP, and the biggest one from that card has a new home.
The UFC announced on Thursday that former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren will have his Octagon debut vs. Robbie Lawler delayed to UFC 235 on March 2nd.
Askren (18-0, 1 NC) joined the UFC as part of the “trade” between ONE and the UFC that led to former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson going to the Asian MMA organization. As for Askren, he had been semi-retired but willing to return to the sport for big fight opportunities, which the UFC obviously presents for him.