Former mixed martial arts veteran and UFC welterweight Ben Askren said he birthed current welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal ahead of a boxing exhibition with YouTuber Jake Paul.
Masvidal, who is helping Paul train for his fight with Askren, knocked the former ONE Championship star out cold with a spectacular flying knee in July of 2019.
Askren tweeted he is the reason for Masvidal's subsequent global fame and celebrity after Masvidal continued to chide him on social media. Askren also predicted “Gamebred” would get washed in his rematch with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
I’ve refrained for 2 years, but let’s be real Jorge. You landed the luckiest knee of your life and I made you famous. You’re welcome. You got 50-43’d by Usman and will likely again next month. Beat it loser. https://t.co/JwZyaxGYa1
— Funky (@Benaskren) March 29, 2021
Not quite sure of Askren's assessment here.
Firstly, the video showed Masvidal had actually been working a running, flying knee move the night before the fight with Askren. Secondly, his star was already on the rise prior to that bout, while Askren remained a somewhat polarizing figure in the UFC to that point.
Masvidal began what he has since labeled the “Resurrection” by sparking Darren Till in March of 2019. He became a viral sensation after a post-fight scuffle with welterweight contender Leon Edwards, later saying he gave Edwards the “three piece with the soda.”
Askren, meanwhile, made his UFC debut with a very controversial win over Robbie Lawler just weeks before Masvidal beat Till. The flying knee knockout marked the beginning of the end, as he retired after a loss to Demian Maia in November of 2019.
It is true Masvidal got bigger exposure following the Askren knockout. He went on to fight Nate Diaz and face Usman for the belt, not to mention a major role in the latest UFC video game.
But Askren hardly “made” Masvidal.
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