The latest example of boxing being used as a spectacle over a sport occurred on Saturday night when Triller put on an event headlined by a bout between internet personality Jake Paul and decorated wrestler/mixed martial artist Ben Askren. In what could only have been described as an event that tried to be more than a boxing card, Paul ended the evening quickly, picking up a victory over Askren via TKO in round one.
Askren, a former Olympic wrestler who has accrued a 19-2 career in the UFC, did not look to be expecting anything other than a slow, calculated flight. So as Paul came out and threw haymakers, obviously looking for a first round knockout, he was unable to do much of anything, and with one right hook, the fight came to an end.
JAKE PAUL. 1ST ROUND. BOOM.
pic.twitter.com/anMHypqM9q
— BroBible (@BroBible) April 18, 2021
The fight caught the eye of the Twitterverse, in part because plenty of folks looked back on one particular fight in Askren’s UFC career and believed something weird was going on here.
Askren ate these blows but got knocked out by 1 Jake Paul punch lmaooo pic.twitter.com/lHejwi8KGi
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 18, 2021
So you’re telling me Ben Askren got knocked out by Jake Paul in 1 minute and managed to win this fight? pic.twitter.com/9cX37KdWbd
— chris (@chrisfnonyt) April 18, 2021
Ben Askren wore all of these punches but took only one from Jake Paul
pic.twitter.com/xoBDsCJgt8
— BroBible (@BroBible) April 18, 2021
The Jake Paul fight was rigged and/or Askren didn’t care. This is what Askren can overcome when he’s trying, nothing on the planet can convince me that punch got him
Really good money making scheme though
— Zealand (@theoldzealand) April 18, 2021
Askren was all smiles walking out of the ring, leading to further questions about his priorities.
This man Ben Askren collected his bag to lose to Jake Paul on purpose and dipped
pic.twitter.com/HZ7hXkYIeX
— FreshKidd (@imFreshKidd) April 18, 2021
Ben Askren after “losing” to Jake Paul pic.twitter.com/uQwXhDRQd5
— Junior
(@JrMoneyGettin) April 18, 2021
Not saying it’s rigged but Ben askren has said several times he did this for fun and his life doesn’t change if he won or lost to Jake Paul Lmao pic.twitter.com/L67m3svVpy
— jw (@iam_johnw2) April 18, 2021
How much money Ben Askren get to throw that?
— Tyler | Code WILDCAT (@I_AM_WILDCAT) April 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/Prime_VC/status/1383648502178140167
Askren looked like the check already hit the account lol
— Boogie Bousins (@bansky) April 18, 2021
Jake Paul and Ben Askren laughing all the way to the bank after swindling everyone #TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/Gq4j21Vtjd
— The Real One (@WWEREALONE) April 18, 2021
But otherwise, the Twitterverse came together to get a bunch of jokes off over the entire thing, with a special shout out to the last guy to fight Paul, Nate Robinson.
This was a better fight then Jake Paul vs Ben Askren pic.twitter.com/kBbj9Ieiqc
— Angry Man ➐ (@Mythical65) April 18, 2021
Nate Robinson watching the Jake Paul vs Ben Askren fight pic.twitter.com/CfSVWWurHn
— tooch (@PartTimeMavsFan) April 18, 2021
How the Jake Paul vs Ben Askren fight went:#JakePaulvsBenAskren #trillerfightnight pic.twitter.com/nrYGq1PaVe
— DASHIE BURNER (@DashieBurner) April 18, 2021
Masvidal watching Jake Paul knock out Ben Askren in under 1 minute pic.twitter.com/r8dzpAYunI
— Jose (@JZepeda_13) April 18, 2021
The MMA community watching Askren get one punched by Jake Paul pic.twitter.com/TRoVFRlI85
— The Strangle Squad (@_StrangleSquad) April 18, 2021
Everyone that illegally streamed the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight after watching for 3 minutes:#TrillerFightClub
— Akiva Elefant (@AkivaElefant) April 18, 2021
Nate Robinson somewhere realizing he lasted longer than Ben Askren pic.twitter.com/i0pcpmw5iw
— Stephen A. Smith Burner (@SASBurnerAcct) April 18, 2021
A recap of the Jake Paul vs Ben Askren Fight pic.twitter.com/YZs9IMqho8
— Best Fights
(@30SecFights) April 18, 2021
Nate Robinson after Jake Paul beat Ben Askren pic.twitter.com/9nppAX31IW
— Plu (@akapluu) April 18, 2021
What the world would have looked like if Ben Askren had beaten Jake Paul. I guess we will never know
pic.twitter.com/vd2XCkILpk
— Tre Bolton (@treboltontweets) April 18, 2021
Even Stephen A. Smith, who I do not think sleeps, got in on the fun.
See, this has to stop. @jakepaul is not some scrub. He’s a pro now. Askren, even though he’s a @ufc fighter, is a grappler. Not a boxer. So why was he even in the damn ring? From now on, Paul needs to fight an actual boxer. He’s gonna hurt any non-boxer.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 18, 2021
It stands to reason Paul will keep getting fights after this. As for Askren, well, let’s just say if we see him fight again, we expect that it’ll be in the Octagon and not in the ring.