Ben Askren Announces Retirement From MMA

Ben Askren has called an end to his MMA career, announcing his retirement on Monday. The UFC welterweight told ESPN that he was retiring from fighting.

“I’m retiring from the sport of mixed martial arts and, frankly, I’m retiring from everything,” Askren told Ariel Helwani. “I’ve been having hip problems and I finally had the discussion with my doctor and I actually got the MRI before my last fight and I need a hip replacement. That’s it for me. I’ve been thinking about this for a week and kind of what I was going to say. Really I’ve just been filled with gratitude for how great of a career I’ve been able to have, even though in the end it did not turn out to go my way.”

Askren ends his MMA career with a 19-2 record with one no-contest, and a 1 – 2 record in the UFC. His last fight was a loss to Demian Maia at UFC on ESPN+ 20 in October.

“I don’t want people to think I’m using [my hip injury] as a reason why I lost,” Askren said. “I lost because I wasn’t good enough, plain and simple, my opponents beat me, they were better than me. And I want that to be said out there.”