'Wasn't worth my response': Ex-UFC fighter Ben Askren mocks Paige Vanzant for saying he's 'not a fighter'

Former UFC fighters Ben Askren and Paige Vanzant indirectly exchanged jabs as Vanzant gears up for a foray into boxing.

Vanzant, who hasn't had a professional mixed martial arts fight since 2020, recently said during an interview that Askren is not a fighter. Most recently Vanzant has fought in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and is now taking a stab at professional boxing with a match against an OnlyFans model named Elle Brooke.

During an interview with the Misfits Boxing promotion, Vanzant was asked about Askren when remarking on MMA fighters who have turned to boxing for big checks.

"Give me another example of some MMA fighters," Vanzant asked the host.

"Ben Askren," the host replied.

"Not a fighter. That's a tough one. He's a wrestler," Vanzant said.

It would be several days before Askren responded to a post on X that disputed Vanzant's claims, stating that Askren "went 9-0 in Bellator w/ 4 Title Defenses, and then went 6-0 in ONE FC w/ 3 Title Defenses."

Askren explained why it took him days to respond, noting that he didn't feel the female fighter's criticism garnered a reaction.

"It really wasn’t worth my response. But I appreciate you reminding her that my career was significantly better than hers. I have a record that she can only dream," Askren said.

Vanzant, who predominantly does pornography on OnlyFans, explained in her interview that she shouldn't be compared to other fighters who have gone into boxing because they failed in MMA.

"I think a lot of people try to compare my career to UFC veterans who leave the UFC because they either get cut or it's the end of their career," she told the boxing promotion. "I left the UFC when I was, gosh 25 maybe. I wasn't 40, I didn't have 100 fights under my belt, I was still young in the career and young in my sport and young in my discipline," she recalled.

"I just turned 30, I have many more years to compete. A lot of the MMA fighters who leave the UFC are leaving because they have nothing left except for competing in other ventures, I'm choosing to do this. I could choose to do absolutely anything that I want to do. I'm choosing to box," she added.

Vanzant doesn't exactly have the most sound argument when it comes to Askren. Askren's final fight in the UFC was a mere nine months prior to hers, with the former amassing a 19-2 MMA record. Vanzant's is just 8-5. She has since gone 0-2 in bareknuckle boxing.

Vanzant is also in an online feud with jiujitsu coach Dillon Danis, who has a 2-0 pro MMA record.

Amid the drama, Vanzant has said that her husband has "three things that [Danis] will absolutely never have. One, a wife. Two, friends. And three, a real MMA resume."

Strangely, the "real MMA resume" Vanzant is citing on behalf of her husband Austen Vanderford, contains seven fights in Bellator. As mentioned, Askren was undefeated in nine fights in Bellator with four title defenses. Vanderford lost his only title fight in Bellator in 2022, and is 5-2 in the promotion.

Vanderford has not fought in MMA since August 2022. He is known to participate in his wife's pornography.

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