Former UFC rivals Jorge Masvidal and Ben Askren were at the center of one of MMA’s ‘feel good’ stories of the year.
Former UFC star Ben Askren overcame a lot of obstacles outside of combat sports last year. After a bout of Pneumonia combined with a Staph infection left him in a coma, Askren was able to make a miraculous recovery despite the initial odds.
As Askren continues to inspire thousands with his bounceback, the former ONE and Bellator champion reunited with one of his biggest rivals and buried the hatchet of their long-standing feud. Askren and inaugural BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal shared a heartwarming reunion at Askren’s home in Wisconsin, and the two former foes took pictures together as shared in a viral social media post.
For the first time since meeting with Askren, Masvidal has opened up about what he’s described as a life-altering experience.
Jorge Masvidal details ‘coolest moment of his life’ reuniting with Ben Askren
During a recent episode of his Death Row MMA podcast, Masvidal opened up on squashing his years-long feud with Askren at his Wisconsin home.
“I’ve got nothing but respect and admiration for this guy…he called me, got in contact with the group, asked us to come out for his Baptism and it was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had,” Masvidal said of his reunion with Askren.
“I just never thought in a million years I’d look at Ben for inspiration, a motivating figure in my personal life. I had just had Staph 8-10 days before [Ben did], and then I found out Ben as going through it…that really opened up my eyes to what life is about.
“It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.”
Remarkably, Askren hasn’t ruled out potentially returning to combat sports in a Real American Freestyle wrestling match. Meanwhile, Masvidal has repeatedly teased a return to MMA after announcing his retirement at UFC 287.
What are your favorite fights from Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal’s careers? Let us know in the comments!