Ben Askren says he ‘messed up’ his life goal after KO loss to Jorge Masvidal

It has been a month since Ben Askren suffered his first professional loss to Jorge Masvidal. There, he was knocked out by a flying knee in just five seconds.

Now, looking back on the loss, Askren still can’t believe it happened and is still upset as he says he ruined his life goal of being the best fighter ever.

“I try not to think about it that I f****d my life’s dream. Think about this, for nine years I have tried to prove I am the best fighter in the world and am so close to doing that. So close. I let stupid Jorge Masvidal knee me in the head,” Askren said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “I haven’t been knocked down in 19 fights, I didn’t get knocked down one time then I let this idiot knee me in the head and get knocked out. Now, I don’t get to chase the dream I had. Everything was working out so perfectly. Now you keep trying to bring up the fact that I blew it. I have accepted the fact that I blew it. But, I try not to dwell on that fact.”

Although it was his first MMA loss, it was not the first time Ben Askren suffered heartbreak. In the 2008 Olympics, “Funky” lost in his second match to keep him from getting a medal. Yet, he says they aren’t comparable as at least he will have another shot to try and become a UFC champion but knows this is a major setback.

“I try to forget about it. I messed up my life’s goal. It’s not as bad as when I lost at the Olympics and realized I’d never get another shot because at this I can have another shot. But, nevertheless, you are talking about a goal of nine years in the making and I am one fight away from getting there against the guy I chose to be in that fight to get there and I blew it.”

Regardless, Ben Askren isn’t trying to think about it as he remains hard on himself following the loss.

“My life’s goal was to be the best in the world and I was this close,” Askren concluded.

What do you make of Ben Askren’s comments? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 8/5/2019.