MMA fighter Jorge Masvidal set a record during UFC 239 in Las Vegas Saturday night by knocking out Ben Askren in only five seconds. However, the fight was not without a controversy, as Masvidal gave Askren two big punches even though he clearly knocked him out with a flying knee kick to start the fight.
Jorge Masvidal with the quickest KO in UFC history in just 5 seconds! ๐ฅ
โ AmericanGambler #PlayLegal (@makeUSbetagain) July 7, 2019
Once the bout started, Masvidal ran into the center with a flying kick that knocked Askren unconscious almost instantly, notes Sports Illustrated. Masvidal then punched Askren twice before the referee stopped him.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The loss was Askren’s first after 19 wins. The bout brought Masvidal’s record to 34-13 and followed his victory over Darren Till during UFC Fight Night: Till vs. Masvidal in March in London.
After the fight, reporters asked Masvidal if the punches after the knockout were necessary.
48 hours earlier, @GamebredFighter was plotting ๐ฒ
(via Instagram/MikeBrownMMA) pic.twitter.com/0gbXqBP0eY
โ UFC (@ufc) July 7, 2019
“They were super necessary,” Masvidal explained, reports BJPenn.com. “The referee hadn’t pulled me off yet, and my job is to hit somebody until the referee pulls me off. So to those people, I would say maybe don’t watch MMA. Go back to soccer.”
Masvidal later explained what his thought process was behind starting the fight with a kick.
“I could just see how eager he was just to come forward. So I put my hands behind my back and let him think come eat,” Masvidal said. “He didn’t know it was going to be a buffet though. He thought it was going to be a three piece but no, you getting the whole fโing MGM Grand Buffet to the face man!”
Even UFC boss Dana White was shocked by Masvidal’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it win.
JORGE MASVIDAL IS COLD AF!!! pic.twitter.com/ih1dYpRZR7
โ Masvidal Mentality๐ฏ (@mmaLiam96) July 7, 2019
“Wow. I mean it was… It’s one of those things,” White told ESPN. “You know, if you’re Masvidal you’re assuming (Ben Askren) is going to run right out and shoot on you. So you’re going to run right out and throw the flying knee. Yea, it was one of the most viscous knockouts that I have ever seen in my life.”
As for Askren, he had one response to the loss. “Well that sucked,” he tweeted.
According to MMAFighting.com, Masvidal earned a $50,000 bonus for the historic win. He is next hoping for a shot at welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
“I’m coming for that belt,” the Miami native said. “I don’t know who’s fighting next for it and what not but you guys know who deserves that belt. That’s 16 years of hard work. You guys know who deserves that belt.”
Photo credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images