Ben Askren blasts Jorge Masvidal for trying to lockup a title fight with Leon Edwards: “You can’t avoid someone for 3 years then try to pick a fight once they get a belt”

By Cole Shelton - August 24, 2022

Ben Askren doesn’t think Jorge Masvidal should be fighting for UFC gold his next time out.

Jorge Masvidal, Ben Askren

After Edwards knocked out Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 to become the new welterweight champ, Masvidal was quick to campaign for the fight. Of course, the two have a history with the three-piece and a soda incident in London as well as being booked to face one another at UFC 269.

It’s also a fight Edwards has said he wants and previously offered. However, Askren thinks Masvidal needs to string together a few wins before he gets the shot.

“Been off the grid camping….. why is not getting a title shot off 3 losses in a row a controversial opinion???? Also I would rather be a has been than a never was. Lastly you can’t avoid someone for 3 years then try to pick a fight once they get a belt,” Askren wrote on Twitter in response to Masvidal wanting a title shot.

Although Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal could be a big fight, as Ben Askren says, this was a fight ‘Gamebred’ turned down for years. After the incident in London, Masvidal went on to fight Askren, Nate Diaz, and then Kamaru Usman for the belt twice, and lastly Colby Covington. If Masvidal truly wanted to face the Brit he would’ve made it happen before he got the title shot.

However, if Masvidal fights someone like Gilbert Burns and gets his hand raised then perhaps that is enough for him to get a shot at the belt and Edwards. Yet, before any of that can happen, Edwards will need to beat Kamaru Usman in the trilogy sometime next year.

What do you make of Ben Askren blasting Jorge Masvidal for wanting to fight Leon Edwards now that he’s the champ? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!