Ben Askren is aware of what Francis Ngannou goes via.
Earlier this month, Ngannou made his PFL debut, knocking out Renan Ferreira at PFL Superfights: Battle of the Giants in his first MMA struggle since leaving the UFC final 12 months.
Ngannou’s return reignited dialogue about his UFC exit, which in flip led UFC CEO Dana White to repeatedly bash his former heavyweight champion, saying Ngannou is “stuffed with shit,” that left as a result of he didn’t need to struggle Jon Jones, and questioning Ngannou’s character. It was a full blown assault on Ngannou, one which Askren is aware of all too properly.
“Dana spent years mendacity, saying I didn’t need to struggle the perfect, I didn’t need challenges, I used to be operating away, and that couldn’t have been farther from the reality,” Askren stated on his YouTube present with Daniel Cormier. “So, it sucked to have this man – it’s primarily slander, saying issues about me that I knew weren’t true. Dana has this a part of his persona when he can’t get what he needs, and in that case, he didn’t supply me a contract, so he sort of acquired what he needed.
“However then I feel as a result of I used to be persevering with to have success and folks have been persevering with to observe me, he needed me off in a darkish nook the place everybody ignored me or one thing. However he’s executed the identical factor with [Cris] Cyborg, I consider Randy Couture had the same expertise, clearly now Francis. If I assumed actually arduous I might in all probability consider another ones. However there’s this bizarre a part of Dana’s persona the place, if he doesn’t get precisely what he needs, he simply begins crapping on individuals. And since he has a giant microphone and since he’s typically very truthful and usually right, individuals simply consider him.
“So I needed to take care of a few years of Dana telling lies about me that have been very dangerous to me, that he had no purpose or foundation for doing.”
Askren is a former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion and extensively thought of to be top-of-the-line fighters exterior of the UFC throughout his title runs. He in the end did be part of the promotion in 2019 when ONE Championship traded him for Demetrious Johnson, and had a newfound optimistic relationship with White, who lauded Askren’s willingness to struggle and promote himself.
Sadly, Askren’s UFC profession was short-lived as he struggled to search out the identical stage of success within the UFC, going simply 1-2 within the promotion earlier than retiring on the finish of the 12 months resulting from accidents. And now that he’s retired, Askren says he merely has no relationship with White.
“I don’t see Dana, ever,” Askren stated. “I haven’t seen Dana since I completed preventing. I’m not in that world anymore. I don’t prepare very many fighters … I sort of simply do my very own factor.”
