Gilbert Burns goes after Ben Askren, “Funky” issues amusing response

UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns has gone after divisional rival Ben Askren on social media, and the man himself has taken the time to respond.

Burns (17-3) has been making the headlines over the course of the last few months after taking two short-notice fights, winning them both against Alexey Kunchenko and Gunnar Nelson. The victories took his unbeaten streak to four, with his only defeat in the last seven coming at the hands of Dan Hooker.

Askren, on the other hand, is attempting to rebound from a devastating five-second knockout courtesy of Jorge Masvidal. “Funky” is positioned higher up the rankings than Burns, and it’s clear to see that the Brazilian wants a piece of the pie.

https://twitter.com/GilbertDurinho/status/1184997960939122688

Im shaking in my boots! I mean i've never heard a fighter talk tough before. How original. https://t.co/C95qdbAYwm

— Funky (@Benaskren) October 18, 2019

Ben Askren is set to face Demian Maia next weekend, in a fight that is set to be an absolute masterclass for grappling fans. The two veterans of the game will likely hoist themselves into a nice position within the division with a victory, but in many ways, a win in this fight would be a huge statement in itself.

Gilbert Burns, on the other hand, wants to get one more short-notice fight in before the end of the year. While you’d think that Maia will be perfectly fine between now and the bout in Singapore, it’s worth noting that this could be a rivalry we see develop somewhere down the road.

For now, it’s just exciting to see how much movement there is at 170 pounds, and how many contenders have begun to emerge as of late.