It looks as though former Ben Askren is going to face a former welterweight champ in his UFC debut, as it’s being reported that a bout with Robbie Lawler is close to being finalized.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto is reporting that sources have informed him that a scrap between Askren and Lawler is in the works for the UFC’s January 26th card in Anaheim. Bout agreements have reportedly not been signed yet, but that’s expected to happen.
Askren (18-0) recently moved to the UFC in a historic trade between the promotion and ONE, which sent Demetrious Johnson to the Asian based organization.
“Funky” hasn’t competed in 2018, as his last bout took place in November 2017, when Askren cruised through Shinya Aoki.
Lawler (28-12) also hasn’t fought this past year, as the former champ’s been recovering from injuries he sustained in his loss to Rafael dos Anjos last December.
So, there you have it. Can Lawler become the first man to hand Askren a defeat?