This is the live blog for Ben Askren vs. Belal Muhammad, the co-main event wrestling match at Saturday’s RAF 11 card in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
A two-time NCAA Div. 1 national champion and two-time Dan Hodge trophy winner, Askren is one of the most accomplished wrestlers to ever fight in MMA, also competing in the 2008 Olympics. Askren parlayed that wrestling ability into world championships for ONE and Bellator, before finally moving to the UFC for a short run before retiring. Unfortunately, tragedy struck Askren last year when he was hospitalized with severe pneumonia, ultimately requiring a lung transplant. Now back to health, Askren is taking this match as a one-off, a bout that seems more about its message than the result of the match.
A former UFC welterweight champion, Muhammad wrestled in high school but not past that, though his MMA career was defined by his wrestling chops. Muhammad also has history with Askren, training with him during their MMA careers, making this bout perhaps less of a heated engagement than a fun farewell match for Askren.
Check out the live blog for Tsarukyan vs. Covington below.
Here comes Belal first. Fireworks and Muhammad is hyped up for this match. But Ben Askren is next as the crowd goes nuts. The comeback story is real here and the crowd is eating it up. Belal Muhammad won’t have many friends in the crowd tonight. Ben Askren soaking it in before he walks to the mat for what is perhaps the final time. The fact that Askren is here is insane in its own way.
The announcer is giving the crowd the introductions and here we go!
Askren is commanding the center early and forcing Belal to shoot first. Funk soon? Askren is tying up against Belal and actually looks strong. Muhammad gets put on the shot clock early. Belal shoots from too far out and fails. Askren gets on the board early with Belal Muhammad failing to score on the clock. Askren shucks Muhammad by.
End of the round, Ben Askren is up 1-0.
Second period begins and Belal comes out more active. Muhammad shoots and fails to get though to the legs of Askren. Ben Askren shoots on the hips and scores on Muhammad with a push out! This is crazy that it’s not over! Another point for Askren as he throws Muhammad out at the edge with the whizzer. Muhammad jumps in on a front head lock and Askren does a good job of reastling up and stays square. Askren is looking fantastic!
We are two periods through and Belal Muhammad has not scored yet! Askren up 3-0!
THIRD PERIOD! LET’S GO! Askren shoots and Muhammad stuffs. Muhammad shoots and gets the double leg to score two. One point spread!. Askren shoots again to another Belal sprawl. Askren looking for some funk but the referee calls it a stale mate. Askren scores again and Belal sprawls again. Belal Muhammad gets the go-behind. He’s now up 4-3. Down to 30! ANY MAGIC? Askren shoots on the single and gets sprawled on again. Muhammad looking for the go behind again. Looks like Muhammad scores two but Askren’s coach throws the brick. Doesn’t matter, Muhammad wins!
Insane wrestling from both sides to see what Askren comes from. He looks anguished on the side but Ben Askren put on a fantastic performance.
Belal Muhammad defeats Ben Askren, 6-3.
“It’s Ben’s birthday. He came back from death. This should be a standing ovation,” Muhammad says in his post fight interview with Chael Sonnen. “Every day you have a new day of sunlight, that’s a new day to live, a new day to fight.”
Belal Muhammad continues, “We got a bitch going into the main event, his name is Colby Covington. I will find him and I will stomp on his neck until he stops breathing.”
Now the arena is singing Happy Birthday to Askren. Chael got some pipes.
We’ve moved to Askren’s interview. “I get tired fast these days,” says Askren who just went three rounds with a former UFC welterweight champion.
“For sure my last time on the mat. I love you guys, I really do,” Askren says as he takes his shoes off to leave on the mat a final time. Ben Askren’s “I worked hard as shit in the last year,” Askren said. His comeback was incredible and as he leaves his shoes in the middle of the mat, the crowd goes crazy.
Ben Askren’s career is a peculiar one. Not the most athletic, he became an American legend with his mind. His patented funk wrestling changed the mind of the “experts” who thought they knew how to wrestle. A World Champion and an Olympian, Askren’s impact will never be forgotten.
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