Ben Askren Believes Dana White is 'Repulsed' By Him

Ben Askren’s long history of acrimony with Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White is well-established, but Askren claims not much has changed in the months since he joined the promotion.

The undefeated welterweight joined the UFC in a fighter trade with One Championship with former flyweight king Demetrious Johnson heading the other way. “Funky” finally made his UFC debut on Saturday night at UFC 235 against former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler and it was nearly a disastrous start under his new employers with Lawler dumping Askren on his head before unleashing a flurry of punches on him. Askren survived the onslaught, using his wrestling to gain composure before putting Lawler in a bulldog choke, at which point referee Herb Dean controversially stopped the fight, believing Lawler had lost consciousness.

White said during the UFC 235 post-fight press conference that he believed the referee got the stoppage wrong and that Askren and Lawler should have a rematch, although Askren isn’t interested.

The 34-year-old appeared on the recent episode of “The MMA Hour” and said despite Askren signing with the UFC, White still doesn’t like him:

“Dana’s disdain for me is so clear and evident,” Askren said. “And it’s so hilarious because he keeps saying, ‘no I like you Ben. I don’t dislike you,’ but then like literally every action, every body language tells a totally different story. He is somehow repulsed by me. He hasn’t liked me forever. He didn’t like me in 2013 when they refused to sign me, he doesn’t like me now. I have offered to sit down with the guy multiple times and be reasonable like two adults should do. He’s not taken me up one time. I genuinely don’t know what his problem is with me.”

Host Luke Thomas then told Askren that White claimed he wasn’t aware that “Funky” wanted to speak with him.

“I grabbed him by the neck!” Askren said. “I said ‘Dana, let’s sit down and talk.’ He said, ‘why?’ I said ‘because I wanna straighten things out.’ He said, ‘you’re here aren’t you?'”