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Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren memes: Welp, that was quick and weird

After two bizarre minutes, the YouTuber is now 3-0 in boxing matches. The internet questioned the whole bout.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Gael Cooper
2 min read
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Jake Paul defeated Ben Askren in two minutes.

Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Suck it up, world, Jake Paul is now a boxer with a 3-0 record. Paul faced off against ex-MMA fighter Ben Askren on Saturday night in Atlanta, and knocked him out in the first round. Paul knocked Askren down, and though Askren wanted to continue, referee Brian Stutts waved off the fight.

After the fight, Askren tweeted, "Sorry world."

Not everyone on social media was thrilled about Paul's victory.

"This the saddest thing I've ever seen fam," wrote one Twitter user. "Ben Askren got KO'd in less than a round, let the whole world down. We're never getting rid of Jake Paul are we?"

Many of the complaints centered on Paul's boxing record. In addition to Askren, he's previously defeated fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA player Nate Robinson. Neither is exactly Muhammad Ali.

"Put him up against someone his own size and is a boxer and he's done for," said one Twitter user.

Another posted a conga line of clowns with the caption, "D-list celebrities on their way to getting KO'd by Jake Paul."

Some tried to defend Paul's abilities. Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith warned that Paul needs more fitting opponents, writing, "See, this has to stop. @jakepaul is not some scrub. He's a pro now. Askren, even though he's a @ufc fighter, is a grappler. Not a boxer. So why was he even in the damn ring? From now on, Paul needs to fight an actual boxer. He's gonna hurt any non-boxer."

Wrote one Twitter user, "Wtf do people downplay the people Jake Paul fight? Stop acting like Ben wasn't an equipped opponent he's an Olympian, great MMA fighter -- pretty much an elite athlete. Even Nate was an equipped opponent, just accept their defeat wasn't b/c 'They were washed up or out of shape.'"

The length of the fight was the topic of numerous snarky jokes and tweets, too. Fans who paid $50 to watch it had to wait more than two hours, through a lengthy undercard and numerous musical interludes, for Paul and Askren to get into the ring.

Another hot Twitter topic involved musician Snoop Dogg and UFC president Dana White. After White reportedly bet a million dollars that Paul would lose, Snoop Dogg urged White to double that bet. When Paul won, Snoop Dogg, who was at the fight, screamed out, "Where's my money at? Dana, where my money at?"

Of course, that unleashed a bunch of related memes. Writer Shaheen Al-Shatti tweeted, "Snoop Dogg screaming 'Dana White, where my money at?! Dana White, where my money at?!?' is pretty much the only way we could've ended this broadcast."

As for Paul, he's savoring his victory, tweeting, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" and following up a report that Askren won't fight again with "WHO SHOULD I RETIRE NEXT?"

Step right up, future opponents -- Paul doesn't look to be hanging up the gloves any time soon.