This week the news broke that the UFC was trading ex-champ Demetrious Johnson for ONE Championship’s Ben Askren. That’s huge because it’s the first high-level trade in the sport, and because the UFC is giving “Mighty Mouse” the boot. But it’s also huge because now Askren will finally get to step inside the Octagon.

And that’s going to shake things up in a big way.

For those who only know the sport from what you’ve seen on TUF and Fight Pass, the name  Ben Askren might not mean much. So here’s a little primer on who he is and why the fighters in the UFC’s welterweight/middleweight divisions should be scared.

Askren was a world-class wrestler when he first dipped his foot into MMA, and it wasn’t long before he was a Bellator champ. His wrestling, you see… it’s kind of unstoppable.

Which isn’t to say that he’s an exciting fighter and a killer finisher. Unless he’s fighting a scrub – which is pretty much what he’s been doing in the Asia-based promotion ONE all these years – Askren is a total human blanket. But damn can no one stop him from being that blanket.

Askren is a decision-machine who lives in top position, and it doesn’t matter what anyone does or what skills they have to call upon. He will make them look crazy bad lying there on the canvas getting humped. (I won’t get into a technical breakdown, but Askren’s wrestling style is “funky” and the way he applies pressure is unique.)

So yeah, Tyron Woodley should be afraid. Because Askren is going to take him down and impregnate him for five rounds. Woodley won’t have a mark on him after the final bell, but he won’t have a belt anymore, either.

The Diaz brothers would both get totally humped into oblivion.

Darren Till wouldn’t stand a chance, and afterwards, would forever be relegated to punching out dorks in UK Fight Nights.

And sadly, the UFC would be once more stuck with a mouthy dude who’s dominant but boring to watch, and entire divisions will wither and die because no one wants to see Askren snuggle a man to death in the Octagon.

Actually, I’m pretty afraid that Ben Askren is coming to the UFC now, too.

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