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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren will meet the most experienced opponent he's ever faced when he takes on Nick "The Goat" Thompson at Bellator 40 from the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma on April 9.
The organization on Wednesday officially announced the non-title bout, which will headline the event on MTV2.
"Ben's been completely dominant in every fight he's had under the Bellator banner and Nick has run the MMA gauntlet in his career, fighting everywhere and everyone," said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "He will be a fantastic test for Ben."
Askren enters Bellator's fourth season with a perfect 7-0 record. Coming off a five round decision win over former Champ Lyman Good, the season two tournament winner looks to continue building his skills and the buzz around him as one of the brightest prospects in the welterweight division.
"I come to fight every single time. Whether you're good or you're bad, I still want to smash you, and it's going to be the same thing when I fight Nick Thompson," Askren said. "It doesn't matter what his record is, I'm looking to kick his ass."
Thompson gets this booking off of a three fight losing skid dating back two years. The eight-year veteran has over 50 fights to his credit in multiple organizations including the UFC and Strikeforce, and though he's on a skid as of late, he brings a lot of fight knowledge with him into this bout.
"I think the biggest advantage for me in this fight with Ben is the fact that I've fought more than 50 fights," said Thompson. "I've fought in every organization, I've fought against the best fighters in the world, and I've been ranked in the top ten. Ben hasn't been there. I plan on hitting him like he's never been hit before and I'm excited to find out how he's going to react."
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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