Jake Paul Training With Jorge Masvidal In Preparation For Ben Askren Fight

Whether it's a genuine training tactic or just pure s***housery from Jake Paul, this latest stunt will undoubtedly get under Ben Askren's skin.

YouTuber Paul and former UFC star Askren are set to go toe-to-toe in an eight-round exhibition boxing bout in April.

And in a bid to get that added edge come fight night, Paul has called on the services of one of Askren's fiercest rivals.

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Baddest Mother F***er belt winner and UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal will be on hand to help train Paul ahead of his bout.

"We're here in Miami training. I wanted to channel Masvidal's energy since he's in Florida," Paul told ESPN's Ariel Helwani.

"I wanted to link up with Masvidal. I'm linking up with Masvidal tomorrow. He's going to help me train for this fight.

"And hopefully, I can knock out Askren faster than Masvidal did. I know it seems like a lofty goal, but if I can get under 4.9 seconds then I can break his record."

Now if you're a combat sports fan, you probably know who Jorge Masvidal is.

But for those that don't, let us explain in the simplest way possible.

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This is the bloke that holds the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history.

Yep, It took Masvidal just 4.9 seconds to knock out his poor opponent with a vicious flying knee at UFC 239.

And it turns out his opponent on that day was a former champion wrestler who goes by the name of Ben Askren.

That's right, not only did Masvidal put Askren to sleep in devastating fashion but there's also some bad blood that exists between the two.

Askren's pre-fight trash-talk ahead of their bout at UFC 239 didn't sit well with Masvidal - and it ultimately came back to bite him in the arse when he copped a knee cap to the temple.

The Askren hype train was well and truly derailed after that and it wasn't long before he finally hung up the four-ounce MMA gloves for good.

But less than a year after retiring and it seems Askren is back in the fight game, this time with 12-ounce gloves - and the 36-year-old doesn't seem too phased by Paul's antics.

"I know Jake Paul is enjoying pretending he is a fighter," Askren told ESPN.

"I think on April 17 he is going to have a rude awakening to what being a fighter is really like. Jake has led a privileged life and doesn't really know what the meaning of being a fighter is. I'm going to put his dreams to an end."

YouTuber Paul currently boasts a 2-0 record in professional boxing.

As for Askren, he has no prior experience in lacing up gloves but has a 19-2 record in mixed martial arts.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see what tactics Masvidal and Paul can cook up in the gym ahead of the big fight.

On thing is for sure though, and it's that Askren will be thanking his lucky stars that kicks, elbows or (cough cough) knees aren't permitted in boxing bouts.

Topics: Jorge Masvidal, Ben Askren, UFC News, Boxing, Jake Paul, Jake Paul vs Ben Askren, UFC, Australia, MMA

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry