Former MMA champion Ben Askren has undergone as a double lung transplant as he continues to fight for his life in a Wisconsin hospital. Askren’s wife, Amy, provided the update Monday morning on social media, stating that the procedure is “the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift.” She added that she is “hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update.”
A former champion with Bellator MMA and ONE Championship, Askren has been hospitalized since early June. Askren initially fell ill with “severe pneumonia,” per Amy, leading to his hospitalization and sedation. Amy revealed on June 17 that Askren, 40, was “in limbo” and fighting for his life as they started the evaluation process for lung transplant. Amy subsequently revealed on June 24 that Askren was “officially on the transplant list,” and had begun being more actively responsive when out of sedation.
Amy’s latest update on the UFC veteran can be read below.
We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant. We are forever thankful to the donor and his family. This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift. It still doesn’t feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly. Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own. I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can’t wait to tell Ben all about It.
I’m hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off
Askren was generally regarded as one of the sport’s best wrestlers throughout his MMA career, thanks to an impressive collegiate wrestling background at the University of Missouri. Askren won his first three pro MMA fights before he signed to Bellator MMA in 2010. In his fourth fight with the company, Askren won the Bellator welterweight title. He successfully defended his belt four times before signing with ONE Championship and winning the company’s 185-pound welterweight title, which he defended three times.
In 2018, Askren was a part of the first and only real MMA trade when ONE Championship and UFC agreed to swap Askren and former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. Askren fought three times in the UFC, notably defeating UFC Hall of Famer Robbie Lawler in his debut.
The collegiate wrestling legend underwent hip surgery following his final UFC fight against Demian Maia in October 2019 and subsequent MMA retirement, however “Funky” has otherwise maintained an excellent physical condition, focusing on coaching at his Askren Wrestling Academy in Wisconsin.
In 2021, Askren returned to compete in his professional boxing debut opposite Jake Paul, who made a plea for donations toward Askren’s procedure this past Saturday following Paul’s bout against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Outside of that lone appearance, Askren has remained true to his retirement from combat sports.