# Bellator Not Interested in Making Ben Askren New Contract Offer



## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

> Ben Askren recently became a free agent, and it seems no one is rushing to pull the 2-time NCAA champion and U.S. Olympic wrestler from limbo.
> Bellator, the organization through which Askren rose to being 12-0 and welterweight champion, has explicitly stated its intent to not re-sign the current champion.
> Bellator CEO, Bjorn Rebney, told ESPN.com:
> “I don’t think we’re going to make an offer at this point, so I don’t see any reason to make anybody sit out. If Ben’s going to go to the UFC, we should speed up that process so he can go fight. I’d love to see Ben versus GSP. If the UFC does make an offer, we’ll take a look at it and move on from there. We haven’t been proactive yet. I have nothing but good things to say about Ben as a fighter, but we’re all very aware of how he fights and what he does- it’s not for everyone.“
> ...


http://www.bjpenn.com/bellator-not-interested-in-making-ben-askren-new-contract-offer/

Kind of surprised considering he finished his last two fights. At the same time he might be asking for a lot more than he is worth at this point.


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## Stun Gun (Oct 24, 2012)

Go to UFC pleaseeee


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## Killz (Oct 5, 2009)

I hope he goes to the UFC, then goes 0-3 and gets cut.


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## Stun Gun (Oct 24, 2012)

Killz said:


> I hope he goes to the UFC, then goes 0-3 and gets cut.


Askren is going to be the UFC champ


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## Rauno (Nov 20, 2009)

I'm surprised they aren't going to try to hold him hostage tbh.

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## El Bresko (Mar 12, 2010)

I only want to see Askren in the UFC because he will finally lose. Give him Demian or Rousimar.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

Would love to see maia wreck him.

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## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

Imagine you're 12-0 and champ of a major MMA organisation ...and noone really wants you. :laugh:


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Stun Gun said:


> Askren is going to be the UFC champ


No he is not.


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## GDPofDRB (Apr 18, 2013)

Bellator is not interested in making an offer right now. They will let UFC determine the market value for Askren then move on from there. Monetarily speaking from a revenue generating standpoint, his value is not great I'd think.


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## 420atalon (Sep 13, 2008)

Bad move, this is in line with them putting their eggs in the PPV basket and hiring all these UFC has beens.

Won't be long until Bellator is out of business, maybe a couple more years if they are lucky.


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## Hexabob69 (Nov 8, 2008)

Funny really.. Though he is one of their champions he has no value to the company. His arrogance and his lack of let's say charisma makes him near worthless. Most of you all do not like Bendo and this guy has way less to offer. I do hope he enters the UFC and gets dominated though.

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## HitOrGetHit (Jun 29, 2009)

Stun Gun said:


> Askren is going to be the UFC champ


Rofl!


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## LL (Mar 12, 2011)

They're waiting to see what the UFC offers which IMO won't be much.

Askren is dull and I wouldn't dish out the big bucks for him.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

Rebney can't be serious, he's the best fighter on their entire damn roster. Oh wait they've got Tito with a good back and a motivated Rampage now :confused05:.

It doesn't matter how he fights, the guy is among the 3 best WWs in the world and would take out anyone not named GSP or maybe Hendricks. Maybe even those guys if he's lucky. I actually enjoy watching his amazing technique tbh, rather than than some bum #1238 ranked welterweight in the world swinging "exciting" haymakers but apparently Rebney thinks that's what people pay for.

He might just be playing possum though, to get the UFC to think "Oh this guy sucks not even Bellator wants him, let's offer him like $20000/fight". That way they sucker the UFC into lowballing him and don't have to spend as much to match the offer. Come to think of it that sounds like the more likely business scenario.


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## LL (Mar 12, 2011)

Liddellianenko said:


> Rebney can't be serious, he's the best fighter on their entire damn roster. Oh wait they've got Tito with a good back and a motivated Rampage now :confused05:.
> 
> It doesn't matter how he fights, the guy is among the 3 best WWs in the world and would take out anyone not named GSP or maybe Hendricks. Maybe even those guys if he's lucky. I actually enjoy watching his amazing technique tbh, rather than than some bum #1238 ranked welterweight in the world swinging "exciting" haymakers but apparently Rebney thinks that's what people pay for.
> 
> He might just be playing possum though, to get the UFC to think "Oh this guy sucks not even Bellator wants him, let's offer him like $20000/fight". That way they sucker the UFC into lowballing him and don't have to spend as much to match the offer. Come to think of it that sounds like the more likely business scenario.


Askren would get worked by Maia.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I'm honestly surprised that Bellator is willing to let go of their champions like Ben Askren, Hector Lombard, and Zoila Frausto Gurgel but want to hold onto guys like Eddie Alvarez. Also Maia whomping Askren is a matter of opinion. Thirdly they're signing all of these UFC released vets to try and compete with them.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

Ben Askren will not only sign with the UFC but he will close out his career as one of the highest draws in the sport. If their is a guy who is the next "Chael Sonnen" it's Askren. Askren is going to promote the hell out of his fights and unlike his bellator opponents he's going to face people that will pop off back at him.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

kantowrestler said:


> I'm honestly surprised that Bellator is willing to let go of their champions like Ben Askren, Hector Lombard, and Zoila Frausto Gurgel but want to hold onto guys like Eddie Alvarez. Also Maia whomping Askren is a matter of opinion. Thirdly they're signing all of these UFC released vets to try and compete with them.


Agreed, either Rebney is beyond stupid, or they only managed to sucker Alvarez into the slave labor contract without his manager reading it.


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## BrianRClover (Jan 4, 2008)

Liddellianenko said:


> Rebney can't be serious, he's the best fighter on their entire damn roster. Oh wait they've got Tito with a good back and a motivated Rampage now :confused05:.
> 
> It doesn't matter how he fights, the guy is among the 3 best WWs in the world and would take out anyone not named GSP or maybe Hendricks. Maybe even those guys if he's lucky. I actually enjoy watching his amazing technique tbh, rather than than some bum #1238 ranked welterweight in the world swinging "exciting" haymakers but apparently Rebney thinks that's what people pay for.
> 
> He might just be playing possum though, to get the UFC to think "Oh this guy sucks not even Bellator wants him, let's offer him like $20000/fight". That way they sucker the UFC into lowballing him and don't have to spend as much to match the offer. Come to think of it that sounds like the more likely business scenario.


Agreed, it makes no sense at all to put so much stock into guys like Tito and Rampage while letting fresh young talent flounder and possibly slip away. I don't disagree with the sentiments that Askren's style isn't for everyone, but the guy gets the job done, and DID finish his last two fights. Not to mention if you let your champion go to the UFC, and he loses to a guy in the lower top ten, what does that say about your orgaization? Well what does it say that all of us didn't already know?


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

You know it's very possible this all comes to a matter of money. With Askren's Bellator record you know that if he wanted to stay with Bellator he'd want more money then his original contract. Having signed Tito and Rampage and resigning Alvarez he probably can't afford to keep Askren anymore.


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