Ben Askren calls Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman ‘idiots’ for passing up UFC 244 main event
- ‘They just lost the main event spot at Madison Square Garden which is going to be a gigantic card. They just missed an opportunity’
- ‘Colby, you’re not worth that much money … and no one gives a damn about watching you fight, Marty’
Ben Askren has called Colby Covington and UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman “idiots” for passing up the main event at Madison Square Garden.
That slot on November 2 at UFC 244 has instead gone to Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz – who will fight for the “BMF” belt.
The UFC decided to move on to that fight after negotiations with former interim welterweight champion Covington and “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman stalled.
“These guys are idiots. Covington and Kamaru can’t get it right,” Askren said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “Colby says ‘I want a whole bunch of money’. Colby, you’re not worth that much money.
“I’m all about fighters’ rights, I do think MMA fighters should be paid more. But … Colby shoots it way out of the ballpark, they say, ‘Yeah right dude, get lost, you’re not worth close to that much’. He is not nearly as popular as he thinks.
“And then they say, ‘we’re bringing Jorge in here’. Then Marty [Usman] says, ‘Well, if I’m fighting Jorge, I want more money’. Then they say no one gives a damn about watching you fight Marty, get outta here.