Askren To Debut Soon

Highly decorated amateur and NCAA wrestler Ben Askren looks to make his debut soon, with his first fight coming in Columbia, Missouri where he wrestled collegiality at the University of Missouri. Sharon Robb of the Sun Sentinel reports that Askren will follow up that with a contest in February in Miami. The South Miami location is apropos as Askren is training with the Coconut Creek headquartered American Top Team. Askren is one of the more hihgly decorated wrestlers to enter the MMA game recently, as he is a two time NCAA champ, 2 time college wrestler of the year, as well as a 2008 Olympic team member. Askren seems to be taking a measured approach to learning MMA, realizing he isn't going to take over right away:

"I'm not good yet but I'm going to be," Askren said. "It's not like I am going to fight Georges St. Pierre tomorrow. I am going to start out at the bottom. I am going to start out with fights that aren't that difficult. I don't have to stay on my feet. I can take somebody down. It is going to be a learning process. I'm not going to be a great striker in two months, maybe two years.

"It's going to take time, I understand that. I know I am a beginner and I might lose here and there but so what. In a couple months I am not going to be submitted and you're not going to beat me in my wrestling. Somebody who wants to beat me better knock me out. As long as at the end of the day I am the best, that's all that matters. I am too strong a competitor to go down easy and I definitely can be the best."