Kamaru Usman Settles Beef with Ailing Ben Askren, After Old ‘Marty from Nebraska’ Tag Gets Disbanded

Kamaru Usman settles differences with ex-UFC rival Ben Askren over sassy nickname, with the latter facing health issues due to the onset of staph.

Kamaru Usman Settles Beef with Ailing Ben Askren, After Old ‘Marty from Nebraska’ Tag Gets Disbanded

Kamaru Usman squashes beef with Ben Askren (Source: X)

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Kamaru Usman is the latest UFC star to mend fences with Ben Askren as the Wisconsin native continues to battle health issues. The ex-MMA titleholder and wrestler is using social media to keep his supporters informed as he faces the most challenging trial of his existence.

The former Bellator and ex-ONE FC kingpin logged a controversial submission win over Robbie Lawler at UFC 235 in March 2019. On the same card, Kamaru Usman outworked Tyron Woodley to become the 170lb champion.

En route to his glory days, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ didn’t like that Ben Askren had labelled him his version of a same-old Joe: just a Marty from Nebraska. What ensued was the security personnel intervening to avoid a physical confrontation. The duo walked very different paths after that and never really reconciled for half a decade.

However, hospitalized again, ‘Funky’ seemingly shut down crass talk on Usman. This Sunday, the 41-year-old disclosed that he had blocked out his friend on a recent visitation — after the friend used a nickname for Usman — one he clearly dislikes.

Had an old friend come visit me at the hospital and he brought up Marty from Nebraska and I said you can’t call him Marty anymore…My buddy was flabbergasted!

Ben Askren via X (@Benaskren)

Usman was quick to react to Askren’s comment, responding with a respectful counter to his long-time rival. A feud that began before UFC 235 was officially put to bed when Askren, too, reciprocated with three praying emojis.

Common rival Jorge Masvidal, among others, was the very first to chime in and wish well as he was rehabbing from a life-threatening pneumonia. After nearly three whole weeks on ventilator and ECMO, the decorated college wrestler made the donor list and got granted a life-saving double lung transplant.

Right now, Askren is a lot healthier with frequent updates on the matter. As for Usman, he has found a new stride in his step and plans to get closer to gold.

Manager explains Kamaru Usman’s rebound win is one he’s most proud of similar to UFC 229

Kamaru Usman exemplifies the highlights and lowlights of MMA life at an elite stage. After his dominant 5-0 welterweight title reign ended, the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ went on to lose three in a row. The sting of the three defeat and some subsequent injuries is something he thought would be hard to get over. That is, until his UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley headliner win in Atlanta.

UFC's Kamaru Usman rebounded from a long drought
UFC’s Kamaru Usman rebounded from a long drought (Source: X)

Usman met and sent rising prospect Joaquin Buckley packing in a dominant show. Subsequently, it’s a turn of events that fight rep, Ali Abdelaziz, will remember most fondly even along with the historic proportions of UFC 229.

It really hurt me. Yeah, that really took something from me. The two wins I’m so proud of, when Khabib beat Conor and when you beat Buckley, not when you won the title…It was because I know what this dude went through. Hip surgeries and knee surgeries and everybody write him off. He tried to come back. He tried to work but he can’t work and that really… The Leon fight, it really took a piece out of me.

Ali Abdelaziz on the ‘Pound-4-Pound‘ Podcast

After a three-year layoff, Usman has much to decide where he wants to go from here. The welterweight legend has been through a murderer’s row, including Colby Covington, Masvidal, Gilbert Burns, Demian Maia, Sean Strickland and others in a long streak. With the gold up for grabs later this year, both he and Abdelaziz conformed to the fact that he can wait a year for a gradual title shot or go on his roll for now.

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