Morning report: Ben Askren attributes Jorge Masvidal’s popularity to “authenticity,” saying Kamaru Usman “can’t get fans” because of that.

This Saturday Jorge Masvidal will challenge UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship. This follows a 2019 campaign in which Masvidal was named Fighter of the Year while plunging into a widespread superstar. And according to Ben Askren, Masvidal has to thank him for that.

Masvidal is one of the most experienced veterans in the UFC after joining the organization in 2013. Despite his long tenure at UFC, “Gamebred” had never achieved much popularity in the mainstream. But in 2019, Masvidal had one of the most impressive renaissance in his late career when he skyrocketed his Q rating with the retirement of Askren, Darren Till, and the interruption of Nate Diaz by a doctor to win the unique BMF title win. But Askren says it was Masvidal’s record-breaking knockout against him that revived Masvidal’s career.

“I put him in the spotlight,” Askren told ESPN yesterday. “It is (all me). His Twitter followers, his Instagram followers went 5x, I put him in the spotlight. I played the slide for him. I let it shine. Unfortunately correct? I thought I was going to destroy him. “

Askren certainly has a case to make. Although Askren only switched to the UFC in 2019, he immediately became a fan favorite within the company and was quickly involved in feuds with half the welterweights. His fight against Masvidal at UFC 239 was a highly anticipated matchup, and then Masvidal knocked him out in five seconds, a goal that became widely known nationwide.

But Askren is not trying to live up to Masvidal’s fame. “Funky” says he offered Masvidal the platform to ascend, but “Street Jesus” used it and connected with people to be who he was.

“He says some of these things like ‘tripartite and a soda’ that may not be intentionally funny, but it’s really authentic,” Askren said. “People love it when he says F-ing is super necessary and I think he was a kind of douche to hit me when I was passed out. I thought that was unnecessary, but he said it was super necessary. And you know what, it’s pretty funny. I was the guy who was beaten and I’ll say you know what that was Jorge who was real and it was kind of funny. Even though it was me and I thought he was an idiot to hit me when I passed out, it was kind of funny. So, yes, Jorge has a certain authenticity that people really, really enjoy.

“Think of the people who are very popular, they are very authentic. When they start to go wrong, they start to die. Like Ronda (Rousey). I think she was really authentic in the beginning and then she started having this prima donna thing to herself and the people who damned hated it. “

Conversely, Askren says Masvidal’s opponents this weekend, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, are just the opposite. Askren and Usman have a long history that goes back to their wrestling days when the two trained at the Olympic training center. When Askren came to UFC last year, his bitterest feud was with Usman, both because Usman was a champion and because, as Askren says, he didn’t like the new person Usman had adopted.

“He goes to MMA and suddenly he has this person that he’s the toughest guy ever and he’s so cool and it’s a fake!” Said Askren. “Everyone sees that it’s wrong! That’s why he can’t get fans because we know it’s fraudulent. It’s not real and that’s why I was so upset. This is not the type you were. You came to MMA and thought you had to be that other person and people see through it. . . People don’t like cheating. They love it when people are authentic. “

Despite his clear respect for Masvidal and his apparent aversion to Usman, Askren still believes personal authenticity will not matter next Saturday because while Usman may not be “real” in interviews, he is very real in the cage.

“I would probably bow to Usman for sure, but I think there are several ways Masvidal will win,” Askren said. “I hate to say it. It hurts to say it, but yes, I think Usman will win, and that’s so annoying. “

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Missing. Jorge Masvidal ‘devastated’ Mike Brown will not be there to see him win the UFC title.

Union. Jose Aldo thinks it is a “terrible time” to found a militant union.

Out. Michael Bisping: Paul Felder will miss ‘Fight Island’ shows due to possible COVID-19 exposure.

Back. Bellator MMA is expected to work with Showtime Boxing on July 24th at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The A-Side Live Chat.

Embedded 3.

The BMF title fight.

Top rankings by Jorge Masvidal.

Anatomy of UFC 251.

Francis Ngannou shoots shots.

Heavy hands. Abort the biggest fights at UFC 251.

Fight over. Discuss the main battles on Fight Island.

Statement.

Public response.

Talk garbage.

Respect.

Accusations.

I wonder what that is.

Call out.

Exuberant.

No love.

Ready to come back to that.

Contract.

N / A.

Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.

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