Former MMA champion Ben Askren appears to finally be taking positive steps toward recovery.
Askren fell ill in early June with a case of “severe pneumonia,” resulting in the longtime wrestler’s hospitalization and sedation. Askren’s wife, Amy, provided an update on the UFC veteran’s status on June 17, sharing that her husband had been “in limbo” and was fighting for his life in the hospital. She also revealed that Askren had begun “starting the evaluation process for [a] lung transplant.”.
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On Tuesday, Askren’s wife posted a new update to Facebook, revealing that Askren is “officially on the transplant list,” and just as importantly, has begun being more actively responsive when out of sedation.
As of late last night, Ben is officially on the transplant list. Please pray he can get stronger and stay stable without complications while he waits, and that they find an amazing match for him and he accepts it smoothly. Also please pray for whoever that Donor may be, and his family. It’s going to be a huge adjustment for Ben, but our family is so thankful that his other organs are ok and that there is a path forward. While he is having more periods of awareness, he’s not able to look at his phone yet and respond to messages. I am hoping he can get there in the next week or two! Also hoping we will get to a place soon where he can talk while on a trach. Yesterday he kept mouthing something for a while and we finally figured out he was saying coffee! (He cant have it yet lol) What a huge relief to see him asking for something so normal. I’m so thankful his mind is healthy and I can’t wait to have him back. We are also so thankful for the amazing community we have-from close friends, friends We haven’t talked to in 20+ years, to strangers who have reached out to share their similar stories or pray. Thank you.
Askren, 40, was widely regarded as one of the sport’s best wrestlers throughout his MMA career, thanks to his 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.
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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.
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. Outside of that lone appearance, Askren has remained true to his retirement from combat sports.
