Jorge Masvidal is not a fan of Ben Askren.

A quick look at the exchanges these two fighters have had over social media would probably already reveal that bit of information but Masvidal explained in depth what it is about the 2008 Olympic wrestler that really gets under his skin when appearing on the ‘Joe Rogan Podcast’.

At first, Masvidal refused to even say Askren’s name because he didn’t want to put the spotlight on him any further ahead of their upcoming fight at UFC 239 on July 6 in Las Vegas. What Masvidal despises most about Askren is the way that he decides to trash talk to anybody and everybody but then doesn’t back it up when they come face to face.

“He’s like a f—king 40-year old science teacher, too, I don’t know why he acts new age but he’s like these new age dudes that f—king talk, just talk and talk and talk about everybody. Shut the f—k up,” Masvidal said about Askren. “When somebody sees you in person, you’re not that guy.

“Like I said, I don’t come from this technology world. I come from if you say ‘yo, f—king Joe, you’re a f—king idiot’ what are you going to punch me in the face or you better be ready for it. I’m not just going around disrespecting people, I get taught respect or if not somebody’s going to teach you respect.”

Masvidal says part of the problem is that Askren is just constantly bashing people on social media and it’s not just fans reading his words.

“These guys nowadays, they grow up with these little things and they can just say whatever the f—k they want,” Masvidal said. “Words carry weight, especially when my kids can read your stupid comments. My kids have access to the internet now. I just don’t like him.”


Masvidal pointed to one particular incident where he says Askren started talking trash towards Khabib Nurmagomedov just after he won the lightweight title last year.

“One incident I’ll remind you, when Khabib [Nurmagomedov] won the title and Ben immediately comes out ‘I’m Khabib’s kryptonite, I would smash him’. For starters, you’re a 70-pounder you f—king moron, he’s a 55-pounder and you’re not even in the UFC,” Masvidal said. “He’s that type of guy. Attention whore, look at me, look at me.”

In addition to his issues with Askren’s mouth, Masvidal says he also can’t stand the way he fights.

As a former two-time NCAA champion wrestler and a 2008 Olympian, Askren typically relies on a grappling heavy attack where he looks to take his opponents to the ground and rag doll them on the mat until the final horn sounds or he gets the finish.

Masvidal doesn’t mind wrestlers but he really doesn’t appreciate the way that Askren approaches his strategy in any fight.

“I don’t even like his fighting style,” Masvidal stated. “I like a lot of wrestlers’ style. If that’s what you did and you’re imposing and winning, awesome but when your sole purpose is just to hug somebody’s leg as hard as you can.

“I don’t know what you think about the Robbie [Lawler] fight, but he didn’t win that fight in my eyes. Robbie was not asleep.”

For all the ways that Masvidal doesn’t like Askren, he’ll have the chance to settle it when they meet at UFC 239 in July as one of the marquee bouts taking place during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.