The Inside Story of Jorge Masvidal's Historic Flying Knee Knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239
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In the storied history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), no finish remains as electrifying, viral, or devastating as Jorge Masvidal's record-shattering flying knee against Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July 2019. Needing just five official seconds to dismantle an undefeated former world champion, "Gamebred" produced the fastest knockout ever recorded inside the Octagon. The blink-and-you-miss-it spectacle not only blew the roof off the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but also became a defining watershed moment in mixed martial arts history, catapulting Masvidal to global superstardom while completely unraveling Askren’s unblemished combat legacy.
The Tactical Trap: How Masvidal Anticipated Askren's Takedown Reflex
The build-up to UFC 239 was fueled by genuine animosity, relentless trash talk, and contrasting combat philosophies:
The Undefeated Wrestler's Blueprint: Entering the cage with an aura of invincibility, Askren was an elite Olympic wrestler whose signature strategy relied on grinding opponents against the cage and scoring early takedowns to lock in submissions.
The Pre-Bout Read: Masvidal walked into the cage radiating calm confidence, having drilled a specific counter throughout his training camp: punishing Askren’s instinctive head-dip during shooting attempts.
Five Seconds of Chaos: As the opening bell sounded, Masvidal leaned against the cage with hands behind his back, took a running sprint toward the center, and vaulted into the air. The moment Askren lowered his level to grab Masvidal's legs for a signature double-leg takedown, he ducked directly into a flying right knee that shut off his lights before his body even hit the canvas.
The Divergent Paths: Masvidal's BMF Crown and Askren's Sudden Exit
The five-second finish completely re-routed the trajectories of both prizefighters in opposite directions:
Masvidal's Rise to Global Stardom: The iconic knockout turned Masvidal into a mainstream pop-culture icon, earning him a lucrative headliner against Nate Diaz at Madison Square Garden for the inaugural 'BMF' (Baddest Motherf***er) title belt, which he won.
The Shattered Mystique: For Askren, suffering his first professional defeat in such brutal fashion destroyed his invincible wrestling mystique.
UFC Exit and Retirement: Askren fought once more in the promotion, suffering a submission defeat against Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard Demian Maia later that year, before retiring from professional MMA competition for good.
Comparing the Numbers: Masvidal and Askren's Career MMA Footprints
Both fighters retired leaving behind distinctive statistical resumes across multiple global promotions:
Jorge Masvidal's Career Tally: Across a 52-fight professional mixed martial arts odyssey, Masvidal amassed 35 victories against 17 defeats, finishing 16 of his opponents via knockout through street-forged striking power.
Ben Askren's Dominant Run: Across 21 professional fights, Askren claimed 19 victories with just two career defeats, finishing opponents with six knockouts and six submissions while securing world titles in Bellator and ONE Championship before his brief UFC run.
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