Dana White Willing To Talk To Ben Askren If He Is Out Of Contract With ONE Championship

Just when you thought the door was closed on Ben Askren ever joining the UFC, Dana White opens it up just a little bit one more time.

Askren retired from MMA last November after defeating Shinya Aoki at ONE: Immortal Pursuit in Singapore, but made it well known that he’d come out of retirement for one last fight to prove that he is the best in the world. The former ONE and Bellator welterweight world champion campaigned for some time for a fight with Georges St-Pierre but after the Canadian distanced himself from the fight during an interview with Joe Rogan, it looked almost certain that Askren was done for good.

But perhaps not. Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast this week, White revealed he’d been in contact with Askren that he’d told him that he’d happily sit down for talks should he prove he’s out of contract with ONE Championship.

“Ben Askren is under contract,” White said. “Ben Askren hit me up a few months ago and said, ‘What are the odds we can talk about me getting into the UFC? And I said, ‘We can absolutely talk about it.’ And I had him, I said, ‘Before we can even talk you need to send me a letter before I even talk to you or do anything. I need a letter saying that you’re a free agent and that you’re able to… whatever.

“And he’s not a free agent. He’s not a free agent. He’s under contract with ONE FC, and he’s gonna have to go fulfil his contract with them before I would even meet with them or talk to him.”

We have reached out to ONE Championship to get a comment on Askren’s current status with the organization.