Ben Askren is all set for his first fight in the UFC octagon, where he will face the former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 233 in January. The bout is scheduled to take place in Anaheim, California, as confirmed by UFC President Dana White.
The highly anticipated match between Askren and Lawler will be a pay-per-view event held at the Honda Center. Sources reveal that the UFC is close to finalizing the matchup, with the bout agreements expected to be signed in the upcoming days. Askren, aged 34, made swift moves to join the UFC last month.
These developments followed Askren’s trade for former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. Waste no time, he quickly identified himself as a crucial 170-pound fighter on the UFC roster and expressed interest in fighting the likes of Darren Till, Georges St-Pierre, and Colby Covington. Lawler, currently ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, emerged as Askren’s opponent.
Lawler, known as “Ruthless” and aged 36, has been absent from UFC action since December, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on FOX 26. Lawler sustained an ACL tear during the fight, leading to a 13-month layoff before his return to face Askren.
