Ben Askren will compete against Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling bout at RAF11 on July 18. Askren has confirmed this will be a one-time return to the mat, with no plans to compete again afterward. He deliberately sought a tough opponent, expressing frustration with wrestlers in RAF who pursue easy matchups. Askren acknowledged his physical conditioning has declined but says he has been training daily to prepare.
Ben Askren is heading back to the wrestling mat for one final time, set to face Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling bout at RAF11 on July 18.
Askren, 41, holds a 19-2-0 record across his professional MMA career and built his reputation as one of the sport's most dominant grapplers. The American, who trains out of Roufusport, stood five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and averaged an impressive 4.33 takedowns per 15 minutes during his fighting career. He has been clear that this appearance is a one-off — no plans exist for any further competition after the event. Notably, Askren has expressed frustration with wrestlers in RAF who he believes seek out softer opposition, which drove him toward deliberately choosing a challenging matchup. He acknowledged his physical conditioning is not what it once was but has been training daily in the lead-up to the bout.
Standing across from him will be Belal Muhammad, the Roufusport teammate known as "Remember the Name." Muhammad carries a 24-5-0 MMA record and currently sits ranked sixth in the welterweight division, with a top-ten pound-for-pound ranking of eighth. The 37-year-old also stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and has shown steady grappling credentials of his own, averaging 2.14 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition.
Why it matters
- Askren, a celebrated wrestling specialist, is handpicking a credible opponent rather than an easy one, raising the competitive stakes of the contest
- Muhammad's welterweight ranking and active MMA career make him a legitimate test for the returning Askren
- Both men share the same gym, adding an intriguing team dynamic to an already unusual matchup
- The bout gives wrestling fans a rare chance to see Askren compete on the mat once more under freestyle rules
