ONE Championship Trades Askren to UFC for Johnson

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On Wednesday, it was reported that ONE Championship has agreed to trade former Welterweight champion Ben Askren in return for former Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson from the UFC.

Askren is an undefeated semi-retired MMA star who has been asking for a shot in the UFC for a long time. With 18 wins, 0 losses and 1 no contest, Askren is a versatile wrestler who has the ability to win bouts in a variety of fashions. The 34-year old has potential to be a star in the UFC. Some of his opponents may include Colby Covington, Robbie Lawler, Stephen Thompson, Tyron Woodley or perhaps Georges St-Pierre.

This will be a sad move for Johnson, but it may be helpful for ONE Championship, who recently signed Eddie Alvarez earlier this month. Johnson had eleven defenses as champion, which tied Anderson Silva’s record when he was the Middleweight champion. Johnson has victories over stars such as Joseph Benavidez, John Dodson, Tim Elliot, Kyoji Horiguchi, Wilson Reis, Ray Borg and the current champion, Henry Cejudo.

Askren and Johnson are both legends to their respective company, as their names will be in the history books of MMA when they decide to hang up the gloves. While fans have altering opinions about the situation, this will truly be a test about which fighter can adapt to the current circumstances for their own benefit.

Featured Image: Bloody Elbow