What is Ben Askren’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $500 Thousand |
|---|---|
| Age: | 38 |
| Born: | July 18, 1984 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1,78 m |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional MMA Fighter |
| Last Updated: | November 29, 2022 |
Introduction
Ben Askren is an American professional MMA fighter who has also competed in boxing and wrestling.
He was an NCAA Division I champion before making his UFC debut in March 2019.
As of March 2023, Ben Askren’s net worth is estimated to be $500 Thousand.
Ben Askren Facts
- Askren was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and moved to Wisconsin as a child.
- He was an amateur wrestler in college, winning multiple NCAA Championships while attending the University of Missouri.
- In 2009, Askren made his professional mixed martial arts debut with a win over Josh Flowers.
- Askren fought for Bellator Fighting Championship and started his career with a record of 12-0.
- On March 2, 2019, Askren made his UFC debut, defeating Robbie Lawler via technical submission.
Early Life
Benjamin Michael Askren was born July 18, 1984 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and raised in Wisconsin.
After attending Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin, Askren attended the University of Missouri where he became one of the top wrestlers in the NCAA, winning the Dan Hodges Trophy twice and a national championship.
Askren participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, and ended his wrestling career shortly thereafter and began training in mixed martial arts.
In February 2009, Askren had his first professional MMA match against Josh Flowers, winning via technical knockout.
Career
Askren got off to a great start in his professional career and ran his record to 10-0 after defeating Douglas Lima at Bellator 64.
In his first 20 matches, Askren won 19 without losing one as his fight against Luis Santos ended in a no contest because of an accidental eye poke that allowed him to remain the ONE Welterweight Champion.
Askren signed with Dana White and made his UFC debut in March 2019 against Robbie Lawler, winning via technical submission, but it would be his lone UFC win.
Against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, Askren would lose both matches, with the latter being the UFC Fight Night headliner and Fight of the Night.
In 2021, Askren branched out after his UFC retirement, taking on internet personality Jake Paul in a boxing match after training with Freddie Roach, which was Askren’s lone professional boxing bout.
Ben Askren’s Career Earnings & Net Worth
Throughout much of his career, Ben Askren wasn’t struggling for money, but didn’t start earning big payouts until he reached the UFC.
When Askren had his UFC debut against Robbie Lawler, he earned $353,500 in total with $150,000 of that coming from a win bonus.
In his next fight against Jorge Masvidal, Askren earned $213,500, and then another $263,500 for his match against Demian Maia to bring his total UFC earnings to $830,500.
The biggest payout of Askren’s career, though, came from his lone boxing match against Jake Paul and the feud with his brother Logan Paul leading up to the match, as Askren was paid $500,000 in the loss.
Between his fights with several different promotions and even sports, it’s estimated that Askren’s net worth is $1.5 million.
Personal Life
Ben Askren and his brother Max Askren were raised by his parents Michelle and Chuck Askren in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Since 2010, Askren has been married to his wife Amy with the couple having three children during their relationship with a son and two daughters.
Outside of fighting, Askren is active in the media with multiple podcasts and an autobiography titled Funky after his nickname.
Askren is active on social media with an official Twitter account and official Instagram account that are updated regularly.
Awards & Achievements
Whether it was during his college wrestling career or his time as a professional MMA fighter, Ben Askren has done a lot as a fighter.
There has been a slew of awards in his name, and the former Olympic wrestler has put together a legendary career.
Here are the awards and achievements that stand out in Ben Askren’s career:
- Became the ONE Welterweight Champion with three title defenses.
- Finished with an undefeated 9-0 record with Bellator.
- Winner of the Bellator Season 2 Welterweight Tournament.
- One-time Bellator Fighting Championship World Welterweight Champion with four successful title defenses.
- Askren’s bout against Demian Maia was selected as the Fight of the Night by the UFC.
Now that he’s retired from all fighting competition, there may not be any sports-related highlights left, but Askren has plenty to still offer.
Askren has turned his focus to being a member of the media as both an author and a host of his podcast called the Funky Show.
How Does Ben Askren Spend His Money?
Though he’s not toward the top of the list of richest MMA fighters in the world, Ben Askren has done very well for himself.
Askren loves expensive vehicles, shopping for some of the most expensive cars in the world that includes a Lamborghini and a Rolls Royce in his collection.
With quite a bit of money tied up in cars, Askren doesn’t live in one of the most expensive houses in the world, instead opting for something more modest.
That doesn’t mean that Askren’s house is a shack by any means, as his home even has a full-on gym for Askren to work out and train in.
Highlights
Ben Askren is a highlight machine, and the former amateur wrestler has accomplished more throughout his career than most people could dream of.
Askren didn’t have the longest career in UFC history, but he made his mark on the promotion and several different sports.
Here are some of the best highlights of Ben Askren’s career:
- Won three Big 12 Championships and two NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the University of Missouri.
- Made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2009 with a win over Josh Flowers.
- Started his career with a record of 10-0 after beating Douglas Lima at Bellator 64.
- Won his UFC debut against Robbie Lawler at UFC 235 in March 2019.
- He made his professional boxing debut in 2021 against Jake Paul, a YouTube personality.
Askren wrote his first book in 2002 called Funky, showing that he can do more than just knock people around.
He’s hailed as one of the smartest people to take on mixed martial arts, so he has plenty of highlight moments left in his post-fighting career.
Favorite Ben Askren Quotes
For many years, Ben Askren leaned into his heel persona and was ready to talk trash to any other professional MMA fighter.
While more subdued now, Askren had a lot of interesting things to say in his career when UFC announcer Joe Rogan interviewed him.
Here are our favorite quotes from Ben Askren:
- ” I’ve got more skills in my pinky finger than half the damn guys in the UFC.” – Ben Askren
- ” I speak plainly, I don’t beat around the bush, and I’m genuine.” – Ben Askren
- ” One of my best qualities is my persistence.” – Ben Askren
- ” I don’t give a damn about my record.” – Ben Askren
- ” I got in MMA for one reason: to see if I could be the best in the world.” – Ben Askren
3 Amazing Lessons From Ben Askren
Some have called Ben Askren a renaissance man similar to Chuck Lidell due to his ability to succeed in just about every venture of life he’s taken.
Askren has a lot of real world knowledge to go along with his fighting skills, which makes him a fascinating person to hear from.
Now that you know all about Ben Askren’s net worth, the former amateur wrestler turned professional MMA fighter has a lot to teach.
Here are some of the best success lessons to learn from Ben Askren:
1. Go All Out
Over his life, Ben Askren has tried out a lot of different things, but he hasn’t given just a half-effort in any of those ventures.
Askren tends to put his mind and all of his effort into whatever it is he’s doing at the time, and that type of advice should translate into any walk of life.
Challenges are fun and enriching, and if you’re giving it your best, you may find that you enjoy the new thing that you’re trying for the first time.
2. Always Learn
Ben Askren has said that one thing that helps him is that he always has a beginner’s mindset and it helps him learn new things every day.
Askren’s brain is a sponge, and he goes through life with a mentality that he doesn’t know more on a particular subject than anybody else.
This has allowed Askren to take in a lot of knowledge on just about every topic, which is why many claim him to be among the smartest MMA fighters.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Branch Out
Ben Askren was never one to tie himself to just one thing in his life, trying out a lot of different paths in life.
Even going into mixed martial arts was a big leap for Askren, who was used to a much different style of fighting.
In recent years, he’s explored boxing, writing, and other forms of media as he avoids being pigeonholed.
Summary
Ben Askren may have had a brief run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but he certainly made his time worthwhile.
Askren made millions as a mixed martial artist and received a big payout for his one and only professional boxing match before calling it a career.
Now, Askren hopes to continue to make millions through his media career that includes writing books and hosting podcasts.
As of March 2023, Ben Askren’s net worth is estimated to be $500 Thousand.
