The UFC’s welterweight division has certainly opened wide up after this past weekend (Sat. March 2, 2019). Tyron Woodley was dethroned by Kamaru Usman after suffering a lopsided unanimous decision defeat. Also, Ben Askren made his successful UFC debut by submitting Robbie Lawler in the first round. Askren might be on a short list of contenders to challenge for the title next.
However, if that is the case, he won’t accept a title fight without receiving his longtime friend, training partner, and now-ex-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley’s blessing first. “Funky” had this to say on the matter during an appearance on “The MMA Hour” (via MMA Fighting):
“I thought Colby and Marty was announced [Saturday] night,” Askren said, calling Usman by his old “Marty” nickname. “Look, listen, if Colby gets screwed again, I’ve got no issue with that. Colby is a jabronie. This was a path that I haven’t even gone down, because I didn’t really see a scenario where Tyron lost to Marty.
“So I hadn’t even started thinking this way. And now that he’s calling me out, I probably have to talk to Tyron a little bit and see where we go from there.”
Askren then doubled down that he’d require the go-ahead from “T-Wood” before anything becomes official:
“Yeah, I would consult Tyron first,” Askren said. “But as long as he kind of gave his blessing, yeah. Of course.”
What do you think about Askren not wanting to take a welterweight title shot without Woodley’s blessing?
