Bellator releases Ben Askren, former champion now unrestricted free agent

[Dale]

There won't be another Eddie Alvarez situation with former welterweight champion Ben Askren.

Bellator MMA announced Thursday their long-time champion had been released and is a free agent, able to sign with another promotion.


"I've said it many times, Ben's a completely one-dimensional fighter who is utterly dominant in that dimension," Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said. "I had a number of discussions with Ben and it became clear it was time for both parties to move in different directions. We've relinquished any right to match here and Ben can sign with whoever he chooses to sign with. Ben's been at Bellator since the start of his career, I respect him and what he's accomplished and wish him the best wherever he goes."


The Bellator welterweight champion is now vacant, however, the winner between Douglas Lima and the season 9 welterweight tournament will earn that title.


Askren, 29, leaves Bellator with a record of 12-0 and 9-0 in the Bellator cage. He defended his title four times after earning the title in October of 2010.


He last competed in July at Bellator 97 where he earned a fourth-round stoppage over Andrey Koreshkov via fourth-round TKO. That bout was the last of his existing Bellator contract.

I don't watch any Bellator but I heard that he's a wrestler? With him having essentially little bargaining power and Dana obviously not being a fan of the guys who just lay on top of the other person, do you think he'll throw an average offer at best his way with the mentality of if we can get him cheap, he's worth having?

 

[Deezy]

Dana White has buried Askren in the past for being boring, he is right by that assumption, mr wrestlefuck makes OKami and Fitch look like Wandy fights in comparison.

 

[Dale]

Dana has said he's not interested in him and will look at him after he's had fights in a smaller org while WSOF has offered him a contract.

 

[Deezy]

Better off in WSOF if he wants to stick around the states, if not ONE FC or M1 are decent options.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

He's had some good fights lately, been pretty exciting. But in MMA all it takes is one bad fight and you're deemed to be boring so Askren who has had a few could go out and win his next 10 fights in a row by 10 second KO and he'd still be deemed boring. Dana's reasoning si ridiculous though, wont hire him because he struggled against some guy that beat Ellenburger, yet he signs that fight IQ less overrated muppet.

 

[Deezy]

I'd be all "fuck UFC". I'd go to M1, where I can fuck all the Russian babes I want at their infamous after parties. Hookers n Blow.....sign me up. That and a fuck load of under the table money.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

That'd be the life.

 

[Dale]

Free agent Ben Askren hasn't lost his confidence in the wake of his recent contract situation.

The undefeated former Bellator welterweight champion previously offered to fight Georges St-Pierre and not accept any pay if he lost.


He didn't get that fight, but on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, he was at it again, with a new target: Rory MacDonald.


"Rory MacDonald is a guy who really irks me," Askren said. "He bugs me. It was really nice to see him get knocked of his pedestal Saturday night."


Not only would Askren fight MacDonald, who lost to Robbie Lawler on Saturday at UFC 167, for free, but he would also leave the sport forever if he loses.


"But if Dana White was willing, if I lost to him I would fight for free retire from the sport of MMA, because that's how confident I am."

Still trying to keep his name out there, can't really blame for it.

 

[Deezy]

Ariel Helwani's show isn't getting your name out there, anyone who listens to his show is in the MMA bubble. Try any ESPN sports show, thats getting your name out there.

Kind of like saying Meltzers or The LAW radio shows is getting your name out there.