Ben Askren battles Cuba's Ivan Fundora at the 2008 Olympic Games. Larry Slater photo.

Ben Askren is back.

The 2008 U.S. Olympian and two-time Hodge Trophy winner is set to return to the mat this weekend in Phoenix.

He plans to compete in the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials and then will jump back onto the mat in freestyle wrestling for the Sunkist Kids International Open.

Both events will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Askren, now on the coaching staff at Arizona State, has not wrestled competitively since he finished seventh at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The 25-year-old Askren said he will compete up a weight class at 84 kg/185 lbs. in the freestyle event on Sunday since it will be his second weigh-in of the weekend.

"I'm definitely excited to get back into it and start wrestling again," Askren said. "I didn't think I would be back this soon, but I'm back."

Askren said he will drop back to his regular weight class of 74 kg/163 lbs. for next month's Clansman/Hargobind wrestling event in Canada.

"I plan on making the 2010 World Team," Askren said. "I know I need to gain more experience and I obviously need to get better at this level. I am going to spend more time overseas this season and learn as much as I can by wrestling over there. I want to eventually win a World title."

Askren took a year off from wrestling after the Olympics. He focused on mixed martial arts, where he is now 3-0. He also competed in a world grappling event earlier this year in Barcelona, Spain. He won his first match before falling to the eventual champion in the quarterfinals.

He plans to compete in the No-Gi division in grappling on Friday.

"I've done a lot of training in Brazilian jujitsu and wrestling," Askren said. "I'm looking forward to seeing how I can do."

Askren said he also plans to continue competing in MMA. He said he may fight again as early as November or December.