Issue 067
November 2010
An elite wrestler with the most formidable ‘fro in MMA, all eyes are on ‘Funky’ Ben Askren.
Olympian-cum-6-0 MMA fighter, Ben Askren has turned heads in Bellator Fighting Championships. Winning Bellator’s welterweight tournament has whetted the 26-year-old’s appetite and he already has his sights on some former UFC title contenders.
FO: Where are you right now?
Ben: “I am in the middle of nowhere in Ohio, on vacation, looking for a Frisbee golf course. I love Frisbee golf.”
We understand that you’ve just got back from your honeymoon. Is that right?
“I’m on my honeymoon now. It’s three weeks and the first week we went to the Caribbean, and went to one of my buddy’s weddings. And this week we’re playing disc golf, and next week we’re going to California.”
You represented the US in wrestling at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Why make the jump to MMA from wrestling?
“I’ve loved it forever. I’ve watched it since the early days, like a lot of MMA fighters right now. I thought it might be something I’d do. After the Olympics I thought it was a great opportunity and just took it and ran with it.”
How did you get the nickname ‘Funky’?
“Well, ‘Funky’ is an unorthodox style of wrestling. When I was wrestling I did a lot of things that other people didn’t do before, or kind of put things together that no one else had done. There really wasn’t a name for it and people started calling it ‘the funk.’ The nickname came from there.”
You’re also well known for your dirty-blond afro curls. Has your hair become your trademark?
“Yeah for sure. It’s been part of my trademark for a while. I’ve kind of had long hair ever since the middle of high school I’d say, maybe even earlier. People always loved it because it’s a lot different. Usually wrestlers and fighters are very gruff, they have short hair and they’re tough people. I kind of just walked around with the long hair, had a smile on my face and had a good time, and everyone kind of enjoyed that.”
Would you say you’re slightly different to the average MMA fighter in that sense?
“I would say very different.”
How so? Is it just because you have less of the tough-guy attitude and focus more on fun?
“I don’t really like the tough-guy attitude thing at all. I really shun that. I just enjoy the competition of it. I don’t need to walk around showing how tough I am. I’ve never been in a real street fight because I’ve never felt the need to be. I’ve been in combat sports my whole life, so if I wanted to prove I was tough I had to be good at what I did. There was never anything outside of it. I don’t walk around with a chip on my shoulder so I’d say I’m quite different to a lot of fighters in that respect. I compete just simply because I love it. I enjoy getting in the cage, coming to practice and banging and working hard.”
You’ve had a very successful wrestling career. In terms of MMA, one of your biggest achievements is winning the Bellator welterweight tournament. How does that weigh with your other successes?
“Oh yeah, winning Bellator. It’s not even close. Winning Bellator is number one by a long, long way in my MMA career so far.”
How did it feel to win?
“Well, it’s a stepping stone. My overall goal is to be the best in the world and I’m still a far ways away from that. But, where I’m at is a good start right now. Dan Hornbuckle [Ben beat the native American Indian in the Bellator tourney’s final] gave me a good springboard; people know my name now and it’s going to get me into bigger and bigger fights as I go along.”
When did you start watching mixed martial arts?
“Right away. Royce Gracie, UFC 1. I was probably eight, maybe nine years old – something like that. Really young. Then I followed it the whole way through. I’ve been a big fan of it the whole time.”
Were you always thinking of moving over into MMA while you were wrestling?
“No, really just at the end of my career. Once you graduate from college you’ve got to look at a profession for yourself. I didn’t really want to stop competing because that’s what I love to do. It was kind of a natural choice for me to go into MMA.”
Are there any welterweights out there that you think you match up well against?
“I’d like to fight a couple of the British guys. I think I match up well against Paul Daley and Dan Hardy. They both lack in the wrestling and the jiu-jitsu. After seeing what Koscheck and GSP did to them I think I can handle them. That’ll give your readers something to talk about too (laughs).”
Obviously you’re at the very start of your career at the moment, but as what kind of fighter do you want to be remembered?
“Dominating. I don’t want to win close matches. When I get out of the cage I want people to know who the winner is. Whether it’s knockouts, submissions, unanimous decisions – like I’ve won in my last few fights. I don’t ever want there to be a question; I don’t want it to be controversial. I just want people to know.”
Ben Askren spoke with Richard Cartey
