Former MMA Champion Ben Askren Updates on Health After Double Lung Transplant

MILWAUKEE: Ben Askren, the former MMA champion, shared a health update on social media this Wednesday, mentioning he is gradually improving after undergoing a double lung transplant.

Askren was admitted to a Wisconsin hospital and is currently recovering from the transplant, which became necessary after he contracted a severe case of pneumonia.

In an Instagram video, Askren stated that his memory of the events is limited. His wife revealed through social media posts that he was on a ventilator in June and was added to the lung transplant recipient list on June 24.

“I have almost no memory of what happened. It feels like a movie. It’s quite unbelievable. Apparently, my heart stopped four times, each time for about 20 seconds,” Askren recounted.

“What struck me the most was the overwhelming sense of love I felt. It was almost as if I experienced my own memorial service.”

Askren also noted his slow but steady recovery and increasing strength.

“I’ve made it through, and I’m steadily regaining my strength and relearning how to use my body,” he added.

Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the 40-year-old spent much of his life in Wisconsin.

Askren’s professional career was based out of Hartland, Wisconsin, where he also operates a wrestling academy with multiple locations across the United States.

A two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion and a 2008 U.S. Olympic team member, Askren officially retired from MMA in 2019. He briefly returned to combat sports in April 2021 for a boxing match against social media personality Jake Paul, which he lost.

Askren, who previously competed in the UFC’s welterweight division, disclosed his current weight as 147 pounds, a weight he hasn’t seen since his early teens.

“I stepped on a scale yesterday and weighed 147 pounds. I haven’t weighed this little since I was 15,” he concluded.