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Nicolas Atkin

Jake Paul secured a first-round knockout at Triller Fight Club after the referee deemed Ben Askren was unable to continue following a knockdown on Saturday night in Atlanta.
But the former UFC star didn’t seem to mind too much. After protesting the stoppage, 36-year-old Askren left the ring and walked backstage at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with his wife Amy, smiling and laughing. 


Askren reportedly earned a US$500,000 payday for the fight against the 24-year-old American YouTuber, which lasted one minuted and 59 seconds.
He later tweeted “Sorry world :(”.


Ben Askren got KOed but he’s laughing his way to the bank #TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/zCowPuwyue
— BroBible (@BroBible) April 18, 2021

“I didn’t let the MMA community down, I let the world down,” Askren later told reporters. “People [expletive] hate Jake Paul, and they wanted me to make him miserable.”
“The Problem Child” Paul extended his boxing record to 3-0, after setting up the knockdown with a jab and a straight right.


JAKE PAUL WITH THE FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT ON BEN ASKREN pic.twitter.com/Jpal6QEjGq
— TmarTn (@TmarTn) April 18, 2021

Former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champ Askren got to his feet but the referee had seen enough, with the American wobbling. 
Askren, a former Olympic wrestler for the US, retired from MMA in 2019 after back-to-back defeats against Jorge Masvidal – in five seconds, via a flying knee KO – and Demian Maia, before undergoing hip surgery.
“Just a few years ago my classmates were making fun of me,” Paul said after the fight. “I used to landscape. I just had a dream, and I chased it and I worked hard.”


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Ben Askren tweets ‘sorry world’, walks away laughing after first-round KO by Jake Paul at Triller Fight Club

Jake Paul knocks down Ben Askren at Triller Fight Club. Photo: Triller Fight Club

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Dustin Poirier (left) and Conor McGregor face off during the UFC 257 weigh-in. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

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Ruben Payan Jnr (left) with UFC strawweight champ Zhang Weili after she won the title from Jessica Andrade in Shenzhen. Photos: Handout

Ruben Payan Jnr (right) with Zhang Weili during training in Florida ahead of UFC 261.

Ruben Payan Jnr (left) with Zhang Weili after her first title defence against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 in Las Vegas.

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Zhang Weili arrives for the UFC 248 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

Zhang Weili punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk during their strawweight title bout at UFC 248. Photo: AP

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Zhang Weili celebrates her win by decision over Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248. Photo: AP

Zhang Weili makes her arena entrance for her title defence against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

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Zhang Weili will face Rose Namajunas at UFC 261. Photo: AP and Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Rose Namajunas punches Jessica Andrade in their strawweight fight during UFC 251. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas after her fight with Jessica Andrade at UFC 251. Photo: Instagram/Rose Namajunas 

Zhang Weili holds Tony Ferguson’s baseball at the UFC 248 ceremonial weigh-ins. Photo: Amy Kaplan

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


YouTuber Paul knocks down former UFC star Askren with referee waiving off the fight after a minute and 59 seconds
Askren enjoys a US$500,000 payday for the fight in Atlanta, with emotional Paul saying ‘I just had a dream, and I chased it and I worked hard’



YouTuber Jake Paul knocks down former UFC star Ben Askren – who received US$500,000 payday for Triller Fight Club boxing bout – with referee waiving it off after 1:59 of first round.


Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)