Asian Fans Want to See Ben Askren Get Beat, Says ONE CEO

The mere mention of Ben Askren can turn people into crazed rage monsters, and that goes for MMA fans the world over. Speaking with MMAFighting.com's Marc Raimondi, ONE Championship CEO Victor Cui discussed his company's welterweight champion, and how he irks many of the Singapore-based promotion's fans. 

"I think in a lot of countries in Asia, they want to see the loudmouth, arrogant American get beat up," said Cui. "I'm not saying that is what Askren is. I'm not saying that about a champion. The stereotype of Americans in Asia is being loudmouth, arrogant and bragging, all this kind of stuff. That stereotype is what Asians want to see get beat up. Every time he does something, he just gets attention in Asia."

"He's like, 'I want that title belt. I'm coming for it and it's mine,'" Cui said. "Just something like that, right? Really normal in my opinion. And he got booed. He just won the fight and he was asking for a title shot. 'I'm coming for that belt, it's mine. You just watch.' And the audience went boo, boo."

Arrogant and loudmouthed are certainly words that have been used to describe Askren. The former Olympian is prolific on social media and frequently rips into UFC fighters and executives. In the past, he has labeled UFC President Dana White a "bald-headed fat man" and has heckled the likes of Johny Hendricks, Rory MacDonald and, most recently, Conor McGregor:

"

I keep on knocking but he won't let me in! @dukeroufus @Showtimepettis pic.twitter.com/5OZAxKXonz

— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) March 14, 2015"

In ONE Championship, Askren is a one-of-a-kind fighter, playing the role of monster heel in a fast-growing promotion. Askren got immediate heat when he defeated and immediately taunted Bakhtiyar Abbasov in his promotional debut. From there, he set his sights on then-champion Nobutatsu Suzuki and effortlessly took the belt in August 2014 after more than a few pointed verbal jabs.

Of course, Askren isn't just trash talk. The funk master is the reigning, defending, undisputed, undefeated champion of ONE's welterweight division, and absolutely dominated all comers in Bellator from 2010 until his departure from the company in 2013. He is widely regarded as a top-10 fighter in the 170-pound division and currently sits at No. 5 in the latest edition of Bleacher Report's Men's MMA Rankings.

Cui, however, does not expect many to follow Askren's lead.

"They'll come out with dramatic entrances and huge entourages and dye their hair and come out in costumes," he said. "It's more likely that you'll see that entertainment side of a fighter as opposed to trying to step on someone else and push them down. I'd like to see some trash talk. ... That's always great. That stuff has just got to happen on its own."

Askren is between fights at the moment, but Cui said that his next opponent will be a familiar face: Luis Santos. The two faced off in April, with the fight ending in a confusing, controversial no-contest due to an eye-poke. Unfortunately, there is no date set for the rematch.

Here's hoping he can return to the cage soon.