Chael Sonnen wonders if Ben Askren will make the move to middleweight for one key reason.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White made waves when he revealed the promotion was interested in talking to Askren. The holdup is that Askren must be free of his ONE Championship contract. While many are expecting the undefeated welterweight to stay at 170 pounds if he signs with the UFC, Sonnen isn’t so sure.
Chael Sonnen Wonders if Ben Askren Will Move to Middleweight
A potential roadblock that Sonnen sees when it comes to Askren competing as a UFC welterweight is the fact that Tyron Woodley reigns as the 170-pound champion. Askren and Woodley are teammates at Roufusport. Askren even coached Woodley at one point. Sonnen broke it down in a recent video on his YouTube channel:
“I think that something has to be considered here, which is what weight class will Ben go? I think that a lot of people are assuming 170 pounds, but I don’t know if I’m sure about that. I’m thinking that he might go in at 185. I’ll remind you in Bellator he was undefeated, 170-pound champion that’s true. ONE FC, undefeated 170 pounds but he did his last couple of fights at 185 pounds. I’m not sure a lot of people realize that, but there’s also a little bit more to the story. Ben Askren, who will fight anybody any ruleset, wrestle anybody. Any competition you want to do, (but he) will not compete with Tyron Woodley and that is his one exception.”
Askren has earned the respect of many with his Olympic freestyle wrestling background and his reigns as the welterweight champion under the Bellator and ONE Championship banners. He has an undefeated professional mixed martial arts record of 18-0, 1 NC.
Do you think Chael Sonnen may be on to something when discussing a potential change in weight class for Ben Askren?
