Ben Askren submitted Robbie Lawler in round 1 at UFC 235. What was most impressive about Askren’s performance was the accumulation of punches Askren took early in the fight from Lawler, and not only survived through the storm, but overcame it within the same round. That was the most trouble Askren has been in his entire MMA career, but the controversial stoppage has everyone wanting more.
Dana White has gone on record saying an immediate rematch should follow, however Askren seems to be focused on the current Champion in Usman, or Darren Till. Was this an early stoppage? There are so many things to consider when deciding if this is an early stoppage or not. We know Lawler is as tough as it gets and is a veteran in this sport, so he probably should have been given more time to show he wasn’t out. But that being said, his arm dropped, indicating to the referee that he was passed out. With such an exciting fight and how good Lawler looked in the first portion of it, a rematch would be entertaining and great to see.
With the changing of the guards now in the welterweight division, this now gives Askren an opportunity at UFC gold without having to fight his teammate, Tyron Woodley. One thing is for certain, this division has tons of parody and talent, and even more so… rivalries. Whether it’s Usman, Askren, Till, Covington, Woodley, Thompson, or Lawler, there is so much talent and so many story lines that this is a terrific time to be a fight fan.
