CrossFit superstar Mat Fraser thinks Ben Askren was just ‘showing up for a payday’ against Jake Paul

Retired five-time CrossFit champion feels former UFC star Askren took boxing bout for financial reasons alone

Fraser says a few years ago he would’ve stepped in the ring with Paul for big money, but would prefer MMA over boxing

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Mat Fraser thinks Ben Askren fought Jake Paul for the money. Photo: CrossFit Games

Published: 9:00pm, 21 Apr 2021Updated: 12:54pm, 22 Apr 2021

Mat Fraser has some thoughts on the wildly popular celebrity boxing match that took place this past weekend between Jake Paul and former UFC fighter Ben Askren.

Fraser, who is part of a no frills podcast with fellow CrossFit athlete Josh Bridges and filmmaker Sevan Matossian, which is called JOSH MAT SEVAN, said he’s pretty sure Askren knew what he was doing.

“I think Ben was showing up for a payday,” said Fraser, who retired from competition in February after five straight CrossFit Games titles. “I know nothing about the situation, I know neither of these men, but just how Askren looked at the weigh-ins.”

Fraser said he thinks Askren’s backstory paints a picture of a man who knows he can sacrifice his body to get ahead financially. Askren was seen laughing leaving the ring after Paul knocked him out in the first round.

Askren’s second last fight in the UFC was a five-second, flying knee knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal in July 2019. Fraser said this all adds up to Askren not really caring about getting knocked out again.

“He was a professional fighter, he went to the Olympics for wrestling, he went to the UFC,” Fraser said. “And then I remember watching one interview he did after his knockout with Jorge, and he’s like, ‘Everyone is making fun of me, I made a million dollars last year. I’m going to take that million, start a business, use it as a stepping stone for the rest of my life’.