Ben Askren, never one to shy away from a Twitter skirmish, has recently been getting into it with YouTube star Logan Paul.
Earlier this week, Paul issued an open challenge, offering up $10,000 to any social media influencer who can beat him in a wrestling match.
Askren, one of the most effective wrestlers in MMA history, was quick to respond.
$10,000 to any influencer who can beat me in a wrestling match
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) August 10, 2020
I’ll pin you in less than a minute, bad hip and all https://t.co/uuYVxnqJvn
— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020
“I’ll pin you in less than a minute, bad hip and all,” Askren wrote in response to Paul.
This comment generated a quick followup from Paul, who reminded the world that Askren was knocked out in five seconds by Jorge Masvidal in 2019.
chill https://t.co/zSOCF3H8KS pic.twitter.com/tzpPhMz2vW
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) August 11, 2020
“Chill,” Paul wrote.
Askren then responded with a handful of additional jabs at the YouTuber.
Shoot apparently lots of people want to see me pin @LoganPaul pic.twitter.com/T6xSV8Npfr
— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020
Shit happens, you think you can last 1 minute or no? https://t.co/Lvsr0mmmYb
— Funky (@Benaskren) August 11, 2020
“Shit happens, you think you can last 1 minute or no?” Askren wrote in response to Paul’s diss about the Masvidal fight.
Ben Askren, the former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champ, retired after back-to-back losses to Masvidal and Demian Maia, adding at the time that he required a hip replacement.
Despite his retirement and hip issues, he recently conceded that he’d consider fighting again under the right circumstances.
“So here’s the deal: I would never make like full-fledge, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go fight, I’m gonna chase the title,’ [comments]” Askren said on his podcast (transcript via MMA Fighting). “But I love combat. I enjoy wrestling. I enjoy fighting. So yeah, if someone said, ‘Here’s some money, go fight one time. Here’s the right opponent, let’s have some fun.’ I probably would, you know?
“I feel like I’m gonna have to do something to make sure I don’t get too heavy,” Askren added. “So I’m gonna have to compete in some way, shape, or form, might as well get paid for it. So I don’t see why not. And obviously, I’ve told you the UFC has expressed interest in giving me another fight but dude, my hip is so bad. So yeah, in a year or so.”
What do you think of this back-and-forth between Ben Askren and Logan Paul?