Funky

My Defiant Path Through the Wild World of Combat Sports

By: Ben Askren

Narrated by: Ben Askren

One of the most dominant college wrestlers in history, Ben Askren became a folk hero during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, before going on to become a multiple time MMA champion and one of the sport's biggest stars.

Here, in Funky, this record-breaking wrestler and polarizing UFC fighter shares how he came to dominate opponents while blazing a trail through competitors in unprecedented ways. Not blessed with natural athleticism, he revolutionized folkstyle wrestling by innovating his own technique, which earned him the famous nickname, "Funky."

What ensued was an improbable takeover of combat sports by a firebrand who defied tradition, becoming the University of Missouri's first ever national champion while twice winning the prestigious Dan Hodge trophy. Now, Askren opens up about how he bucked convention, how he used his wrestling base to seize the world of cage-fighting, and how he eventually forced UFC president Dana White to end their decade-long public feud via a historic trade.

Love him or hate him, win or lose, Ben Askren showed what determination means by staying true to one of his earliest revelations on the mats: "I was never going to let anybody outwork me."

©2022 Ben Askren (P)2022 Tantor

Funky

I enjoy listening to Ben, he is honest and raw. He tells it like it is.

Great listen.

Detailed look at an amazing career . Highly recommend for any wrestling fan. This was a fun read.

Funky review

Great read with great insights on growing our children with the proper mindset. Highly recommend!

You should remember Ben Askren

There is something so intriguing about watching humans achieve greatness, but to me, there’s something more to learn from those who failed. Not that Askren wasn’t great. He was, but he “failed” to win a medal in the Olympics and he “failed” to reach UFC gold. But as a fight fan who happens to be a flawed human, I’ve always felt more connected to Ben Askren in his recent losses than I ever did in his domination. Not only do I think any athlete of any kind should read this book, but everyone should read this book. The absolute humility in these pages is only interrupted by Askren’s trademark charm and wit, and I plan on taking lessons I’ve learned from Ben, and applying them to everything I desire to achieve.

Fantastic book very well written

Always been a fan of Ben Askren. However, I did not know the full story until now. Now I’m a bigger fan book is amazing.

Funky

Solidly written for a sports memoir of a unique and entertaining journey through the wild worlds of amateur wrestling and mma. Askren’s audio performance has a hostage letter/middle school Lit class vibe but the entertainment value of the writing was good enough to carry me through to the end. Would recommend as a Christmas gift to your relative who wrestled in high school.

Let’s get Funky

Love me some Ben Askren. Professional shit starter but an all around great person. Inspirational story with some good insights in how to bounce back. Ben Askren is about as real and raw as you can get. Great book.

Honest and relatable

Askren speaks candidly about his best and worst experiences. I appreciated the honesty and the encouragement to face challenges without fear. It’s a great read for combat athletes, but much can be gleaned from his life experiences for the casual reader as well.

Finally A Real MMA Memoir

For anyone who is a fan of: MMA, amateur wrestling, and or sports psychology this is a most read/listen.

FUNKY!!

Awesome book by the funky one himself! As someone that loves Askren’s MMA career and wanted him in the UFC in his prime, I loved every minute of this book! Thanks for writing it, and for narrating it yourself! I love it when the book is narrated by the person who wrote it and it’s about! Once again, awesome book! And thank you Funky Ben Askren! #LiveFreeBeHappy