Ben Askren: US Olympian, Former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion, UFC Fighter, Author of Funky

Collegiate wrestling record holder, Team USA Olympian, professional mixed martial artist, and UFC championship fighter. That’s Marcus’ guest – Ben Askren - on this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast. Marcus and Ben discuss how his unorthodox style earned him the nickname “Funky”, as he puts his opponents in scramble situations. Ben credits his dad for introducing him to the sport, and he really got serious when he joined a wrestling club in 6th grade. The combination of natural talent and a relentless workout regimen made him one of the most successful athletes in collegiate history, setting several records, as well as experiencing great success as an MMA fighter as well. In this episode you will hear: I get to work with kids who want to work really hard. They come in the gym and bust their ass. I hated team sports because I really wanted to win and others on my team didn’t share that sentiment. In wrestling, it was just me and the other person. I could always determine my destiny. We don’t want to force kids. We want them to love the sport and know what it’s gonna take to be special. We want to put great coaches in front of kids to give them a good opportunity to succeed in wrestling. There are kids that don’t have a strong role model, so I have such an important role to play. Great things take a long time. The Olympics suck because once you lose, you don’t get another shot for 4 years. Having a high-level background in something is important. You need to find a compliment. Who can impose their will more significantly, is important when skill levels are equivalent. Innovation – learning how to scramble. What I was doing was not working. I had to think outside myself for other options. I wasn’t having the success I wanted, so it was like “Shit, how can I do this?”