Dana White once called Ben Askren the most boring fighter in the history of the world. That wasn't just a stray comment during a post-fight press conference; it was a foundational pillar of a decade-long feud that reshaped how MMA fans view "marketability." For years, the Ben Askren Dana White saga was the primary reason the best welterweight on the planet stayed outside the UFC Octagon. It was weird. It was personal. It was incredibly stubborn.
Askren was a wrestler. A specialized, relentless, "funky" wrestler who didn't care about your highlight reel. He wanted to pin you to the mat, make you miserable, and win. Dana White, a promoter who builds empires on the back of spinning backkicks and bloody brawls, hated it. He didn't just dislike the style; he seemingly took Askren’s success in Bellator and ONE Championship as a personal affront to the UFC brand.
The Twitter War That Kept a Champion Sidelined
Before the "trade," there was the digital vitriol. You have to remember the landscape of 2012 and 2013. Askren was the Bellator champion, undefeated and largely untouched. When his contract ended, the logical step was the UFC. Instead, Dana White publicly shut the door. He told reporters that Askren needed to "go away and get some experience," despite Askren having more wins than many people on the active UFC roster at the time.
Askren didn't stay quiet. He leaned into the villain role. He poked at Dana's ego, called him out for being a "tough guy" behind a desk, and mocked the UFC’s ranking systems. It was a stalemate of pride. Askren went to Asia to fight for ONE Championship, making millions while Dana continued to insist that nobody cared about a guy who just "humped legs."
The nuance here is that Dana wasn't entirely wrong about the casual fans. Boring fights are hard to sell. But Askren wasn't just boring; he was effective. By refusing to sign him, Dana created a "What If" scenario that haunted the welterweight division for half a decade. Every time a UFC welterweight champion looked dominant, fans would whisper: "Yeah, but could he stop Askren’s double-leg?"
The Trade: Demetrious Johnson for a "Washout"
Fast forward to 2018. The MMA world was rocked by something that never happens: a trade. The UFC sent the legendary Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. It was a massive gamble for Dana White. If Askren came in and dominated, Dana looked like a fool for waiting six years. If Askren failed, Dana could finally say, "I told you so."
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The arrival was electric. Askren showed up to UFC press conferences in flip-flops and curly hair, looking more like a middle-school science teacher than a cage fighter. He talked circles around his opponents. He was a breath of fresh air because he didn't try to act like a tough guy. He just knew he was better than you at wrestling.
Then came the Robbie Lawler fight.
It was chaos. Lawler nearly spiked Askren through the canvas in the opening seconds. Askren’s face was a bloody mess. Then, out of nowhere, Askren locked in a bulldog choke. Herb Dean stopped the fight. Lawler jumped up, furious, claiming he wasn't out. Dana White was livid. Even in victory, Askren managed to irritate the UFC boss because the win was controversial. It felt like the universe was refusing to let these two just get along.
Five Seconds That Changed Everything
We have to talk about the knee. Jorge Masvidal. UFC 239.
If you ask Dana White about Ben Askren today, this is the moment he thinks about. Five seconds. Askren shot for a takedown, Masvidal flew through the air, and it was over. The fastest knockout in UFC history.
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Honestly, it was the best day of Dana White's professional life regarding this specific feud. It validated every mean thing he had ever said about Askren. In Dana’s eyes, the "fake" champion from the "lesser" leagues had finally been exposed by a "real" UFC fighter. The smugness from the UFC brass in the following months was palpable.
Askren fought one more time, losing to Demian Maia in a grappling clinic, and then he was gone. Retired. Hip surgery. The experiment was over. Dana White had won the long game. Or had he? Because even in retirement, Askren remained a thorn in the side of the UFC’s narrative. He was the guy who made the Masvidal superstar era possible. Without Askren to play the perfect foil, Masvidal might never have reached those heights.
The Jake Paul Crossover and the Final Insult
Just when we thought the Ben Askren Dana White tension had fizzled out, boxing happened. Specifically, YouTuber boxing. When Askren signed to fight Jake Paul in 2021, Dana White famously bet $1 million that Askren would win.
Think about the irony.
After years of calling Askren a "bum" and "boring," Dana was suddenly his biggest supporter because he hated Jake Paul even more. When Askren got knocked out in the first round, Dana was the one looking at a massive (hypothetical) loss. It was the final, weird chapter in a relationship defined by mutual disrespect. Askren took his paycheck and went back to his wrestling academy in Wisconsin, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he had become a punchline for the very man who once refused to hire him.
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What This Feud Taught the Fight Business
There are real takeaways here for anyone following the business of combat sports. First, Dana White prioritizes "entertainment" over "merit" far more often than he admits. Askren was objectively one of the best in the world, but his lack of "marketable violence" made him a persona non grata.
Second, the "UFC vs. The World" mentality is a double-edged sword. By keeping Askren out for so long, White protected his champions from a difficult stylistic matchup, but he also lost out on years of high-level content.
Finally, personality sells better than wins. Askren became a bigger star by losing spectacularly and talking trash than he ever did by winning 19 fights in a row. Dana knows this. It’s why he keeps guys like Colby Covington or Conor McGregor close, even when they aren't winning.
How to Navigate the "Dana White" Style of Business
If you're an athlete or a creator looking at this saga, the lessons are pretty clear:
- Diversify your leverage. Askren made his real money in ONE Championship, which gave him the "I don't care" attitude that made him famous when he finally hit the UFC.
- Lean into your "flaws." Askren knew people thought he was boring, so he started calling himself "Funky" and wearing ridiculous outfits. He turned the criticism into a brand.
- Don't expect the boss to like you. If your value is undeniable, they’ll eventually have to deal with you. Dana hated Askren, but he still traded his greatest flyweight ever to get him.
- The "One-Trick Pony" risk is real. In modern MMA, if your one trick (wrestling) fails, the fall is fast and brutal.
The story of Ben Askren and Dana White is a reminder that sports isn't just about who is the best at the game; it’s about who controls the microphone. Askren held it for a while, but Dana owns the stadium. In the end, they both walked away with exactly what they wanted: Dana got his viral knockout, and Askren got his multi-million dollar exit strategy.
Check out the archives of the UFC Unfiltered podcast or Ben’s own social media history if you want to see the "receipts" of their verbal sparring. It's a masterclass in how to build a feud without ever actually throwing a punch at each other.