What do you think?
Rate this book
Funky: My Defiant Path Through the Wild World of Combat Sports
A riveting memoir by former MMA champion and Olympic wrestler, Ben Askren, who cut a polarizing path through amateur wrestling and professional mixed martial arts as a firebrand figure who fans loved or hated—but could never keep down.
“This is a wonderful and revealing look at one of the greatest American athletes of the last twenty years.” —Ariel Helwani?
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. Through it all, he emerged as a cult figure in combat sports.
Here, in the pages of 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, developing a scrambling, unorthodox style, which earned him the famous nickname, “Funky.”
“While legendary wrestler Ben Askren’s memoir Funky is not a self-help book, it is one of the most helpful books you can read if you want to achieve more in life. Unlike the superficial portraits of success that most self-help books give, Funky explains in unvarnished detail the thoughtful persistence that is required—persistence that can take a long time to be rewarded, with plenty of setbacks along the way.” —Alex Epstein, philosopher, energy expert, bestselling author, and BJJ Black Belt
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 to give the fans what they Ben Askren in the UFC.
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 “I was never going to let anybody outwork me.”
“Whether you are an elite level athlete or the furthest thing from it, Funky is an inspiring read for all.” —Laura Sanko, broadcast analyst and reporter
“This is a wonderful and revealing look at one of the greatest American athletes of the last twenty years.” —Ariel Helwani?
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. Through it all, he emerged as a cult figure in combat sports.
Here, in the pages of 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, developing a scrambling, unorthodox style, which earned him the famous nickname, “Funky.”
“While legendary wrestler Ben Askren’s memoir Funky is not a self-help book, it is one of the most helpful books you can read if you want to achieve more in life. Unlike the superficial portraits of success that most self-help books give, Funky explains in unvarnished detail the thoughtful persistence that is required—persistence that can take a long time to be rewarded, with plenty of setbacks along the way.” —Alex Epstein, philosopher, energy expert, bestselling author, and BJJ Black Belt
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 to give the fans what they Ben Askren in the UFC.
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 “I was never going to let anybody outwork me.”
“Whether you are an elite level athlete or the furthest thing from it, Funky is an inspiring read for all.” —Laura Sanko, broadcast analyst and reporter
- GenresBiography
216 pages, Hardcover
Published October 25, 2022
14 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 29, 2022
I know very little about wrestling or MMA, so the names and references (especially in the early chapters) were lost on me. As a teacher at Ben's alma mater, seeing a co-worker mentioned so prominently--as well as a former student (Keegan O'Toole!) of mine--was a treat. But for anyone not connected to wrestling or Southeastern Wisconsin: Ben Askren is fascinating! He is self-diagnosed on the spectrum and the way he approaches sport, his career, and his improvement, we can all learn from. Ben knows what makes great athletes and he trained himself into being one of the greats. I hope he decides to finish and publish the sport psychology book he started!
November 14, 2022
Exceeded my expectations but didn't waste my time, which is all I can ask of these athlete autobios (and I've read hundreds). What distinguishes this book from others of its kind is how Askren's perspective saturates the narrative, with the use of footnotes for insults, further explication, &c. being a rather nice touch. It's not high art, but as athlete autobios go - especially recent ones - it's near the top of the heap. Perhaps Askren will finish the sports psychology book he discusses here (and has mentioned all over in interviews), because he's actually got something to say on the subject and has done some real research.
November 19, 2022
Funkyyyy
April 11, 2023
This showed flashes of being an incredible memoir, touching upon stories and anecdotes we haven't seen much from the currently thin MMA library. But it's written in a slapdash way that leaves many questions unanswered and many stories untold. Askren went across the world to fight Asia's top talent, and he walked away with an undefeated record. Yet that portion of his career is skimped over. Instead, we're left reading a regurgitation of mainstream coverage on Askren's well-known, highly publicized UFC fights. The book at times reads like a Wikipedia article, which is a shame because Askren is such an interesting fighter.
July 23, 2025
This book was really great and an amazing look into the mind of one of the greatest minds. I’m praying for Ben and Amy as they go through a very difficult time!
March 8, 2022
One of the best athletes and coaches in the game. I am looking forward reading this book!
July 18, 2025
My Slightly Sarcastic But Ultimately Honest Book Rating System:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of a "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of a "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
April 27, 2023
Funky has been my favorite wrestler since growing up wrestling in Missouri so I was pretty familiar with his career. I still learned a ton of stuff about him as he brought you into his early mindset and motivations in this book. Very motivational and great info/perspectives I can use to help my kids when they start sports. The Jake Paul stuff made me laugh so I'm glad he included it.
April 12, 2023
Very cool learning who the real Ben Askren is.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews