Ben Askren has explained how his UFC contract could prevent him from facing Jake Paul in a mixed martial arts bout.

Back in April 2021, Ben Askren opted to step foot into the boxing ring to take on Jake Paul. Many weren’t quite sure how it would play out but in the end, ‘The Problem Child’ dusted Askren within the first round.

Ever since then, ‘Funky’ hasn’t really been seen or heard from in a competitive sense. He retired from mixed martial arts following consecutive losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, both of which took place in 2019.

He’s now focused more heavily on the coaching side of things. However, ever since news broke that Jake Paul had signed a deal to fight in PFL, some have wondered whether or not Askren would serve as an appropriate first opponent.

In a recent tweet, the 38-year-old gave his thoughts on the idea.

Well that would be delightful, but my UFC contract froze when I retired. Lots of hurdles to clear, someone take care of those for me and I’d love to rub his face in the canvas for a while. https://t.co/GEtqNDf0NS

— Funky (@Benaskren) January 5, 2023

“Well that would be delightful, but my UFC contract froze when I retired.  Lots of hurdles to clear, someone take care of those for me and I’d love to rub his face in the canvas for a while.”

Askren’s big issue

One of the big issues for Ben towards the end of his career was his mobility. Due to some hip issues, a lot of pundits believe we didn’t get the chance to see the best of him in the UFC.

However, after taking a few years off, perhaps things may have changed. It’s not like 38 is ancient in the combat sports game and if Maia can keep going as he has, perhaps Askren can make a comeback.

He’d probably be a lopsided favourite against Paul, but it’s definitely plausible.

Would you like to see Ben Askren take on Jake Paul? Who would be the favourite? Let us know in the comments, BJPENN Nation!