Video: Kamaru Usman Has Backstage Confrontation with Ben Askren at UFC 235 Presser

New UFC welterweight Ben Askren has a talent for getting under people’s skin. Add Kamaru Usman, the division’s current No. 1 contender, to that list.

In a video posted by Anatomy of a Fighter, Usman and Askren get into a verbal altercation backstage prior to the UFC 235 press conference, which took place last week in Las Vegas. Askren mentioned the confrontation during the presser saying, “Marty tried attacking me 20 minutes ago.”

Things didn’t get quite that serious, but there seems to be some heat between the two fighters. Their exchange was as follows:

Askren: Are me and Marty sitting next to each other?

Usman: Do you know me?

Askren: Yeah.

Usman: How do you know me?

Askren: I know you because we used to hang out. We used to hang out at the Olympic training center.

Usman: Be quiet. You don’t know me.

Askren: I offered to fight you. There’s not much more to be said there.

Askren offered to fight Usman for an interim title at UFC 233 in order to help salvage the event, which was eventually canceled. Usman will challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight crown in the UFC 235 co-headliner, while Askren will face ex-champ Robbie Lawler in another featured contest. If both are victorious, the foundation could be in place for a future bout.

Marty you are so tough, so cool and so scary! Shaking in my flip flops https://t.co/dKBSl1k7GI

— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) February 4, 2019