Roufus on Ben Askren coming to the UFC: ‘I see it happening’
Duke Roufus: “Ben Askren, he’s a very proud guy. I’m hoping and pray. I think [it would] just be for the greater good of the sport, what the UFC has always done.”
ONE FC welterweight champion Ben Askren and UFC president Dana White don’t get along. However, White has worked with fighters in the past that he did not get along with personally, most famously Tito Ortiz. So fans are hopeful that at some point Askren will sign with the sport’s dominant league.
Among the hopeful are Askren’s coach, Roufusport owner Duke Roufus.
“I see it happening,” said Roufus recently as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMAFighting.
“I love both guys. I have so much respect for Dana, Lorenzo and Frank. I’ve told them so many times Roufusport wouldn’t be around without them. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
“He knows at this stage of his career (how to) become a world-class striker. But you know what? He’s going to become awesome at not getting hit. So he takes you down, the fight is over.”
“Ben, he’s a very proud guy. I’m hoping and pray. I think [it would] just be for the greater good of the sport, what the UFC has always done.”
UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis is a teammate of Askren’s, and has trained with the Olympian on numerous occasions. Pettis was asked what would happen if Askren dropped to lightweight?
“He would whoop my ass,” said Pettis. “He holds me down and laughs at me.”