Ben Askren’s biggest comeback — And it wasn’t in the cage

Former wrestling and MMA star Ben Askren has given fans an emotional update after surviving a life-threatening battle with pneumonia.

The 40-year-old had to undergo a double lung transplant and spent over a month in hospital, including time in critical condition.

Ben Askren explained that he has no memory of what happened between late May and early July.

His condition became so severe that his heart stopped multiple times, and doctors had to take extreme measures to save his life.

The illness was caused by a staph infection, which quickly turned into severe pneumonia. He was placed on a ventilator and sedated for weeks.

His wife, Amy, shared updates during that time and said she was praying for a miracle. Support came in from around the world, including financial help for medical bills.

In a video shared from his hospital bed, Ben Askren said he is slowly getting better.

🥺❤️ Ben Askren speaks out for the first time.

He saw all of the support 🎥 @Benaskren pic.twitter.com/gwv1Z2WPf1

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 9, 2025

He lost 50 pounds during the ordeal and now weighs 147 pounds, something he hasn’t seen since his teenage years. He’s currently relearning how to move and build strength again.

Ben Askren, known for his wrestling success and MMA career, said the support he received made a huge difference.

He mentioned how touching it was to feel so much love and said he’s now more motivated than ever to give back.

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Ben Askren was a two-time NCAA champion, Olympic wrestler, and held world titles in both Bellator and ONE Championship. He also had a short UFC run and boxed Jake Paul in 2021.

He also holds the unfortunate record for the fastest knockout in MMA history, losing to Jorge Masvidal in just 5 seconds.

Now, after surviving one of the toughest battles of his life, Ben Askren is focused on recovery and helping others, showing the same fighting spirit that made him a champion.