When you think of Ben Askren, words like “unstoppable,” “gritty,” and “relentless” probably come to mind. The former Olympic wrestler and UFC star built his reputation on never backing down from a fight. But in 2025, Askren faced his toughest opponent yet—one that nearly claimed his life and forced him into a battle he couldn’t win with technique or determination alone.
What started as a routine staph infection transformed into a life-threatening medical emergency that would test every ounce of his legendary fighting spirit. This is the story of how “Funky” Ben Askren went from dominating opponents in the octagon to fighting for each breath, and how he’s slowly but surely winning the most important match of his life.
The Medical Emergency That Changed Everything
In late May 2025, Ben Askren’s world turned upside down. The 40-year-old father of three developed pneumonia following a staph infection while at his home in Wisconsin. What seemed like a manageable health issue quickly spiraled into something far more sinister.
By early June, Askren’s condition had deteriorated rapidly. On June 17, his wife Amy revealed that Ben was on a ventilator and ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and had started the evaluation process for a lung transplant. For those unfamiliar with ECMO, it’s essentially a heart-lung machine that takes over the function of these vital organs when they can no longer sustain life on their own.
The speed of this decline shocked everyone, including his medical team. Staph infections, while common, can become deadly when they spread to vital organs. Staph infections can cause pneumonia if the infection spreads to the lungs, and can also damage heart valves and lead to heart failure. In Askren’s case, the infection had essentially destroyed his lung function, leaving him completely dependent on machines to stay alive.
Amy Askren, who became the family’s spokesperson during this crisis, painted a grim picture of those early days. The woman who had watched her husband take on the world’s best fighters was now praying for a miracle as doctors fought to keep him alive.
The Life-Saving Double Lung Transplant
By June 25, Ben was officially placed on the transplant list. The waiting began—a different kind of fight where victory depended not on training or strategy, but on finding a matching donor and hoping Ben’s body could hold on long enough.
The wait wasn’t long, but it felt like an eternity for the Askren family. He had the double lung transplant at the end of June, marking the beginning of what would become a grueling but hopeful recovery journey.
“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,” Amy wrote on Facebook following the successful surgery. These words capture the profound gratitude and reality that many transplant recipients face—the knowledge that someone else’s tragedy became their second chance at life.
The surgery itself was just the beginning. Double lung transplants are among the most complex procedures in medicine, requiring not just surgical skill but extensive post-operative care. The fact that Ben survived the operation was encouraging, but the real test would come in the days and weeks that followed.
The Near-Fatal Moments
Perhaps the most harrowing aspect of Askren’s ordeal was how close he came to losing his life entirely. His wife later revealed that in those weeks, he “died” four times—his heart stopping for 20 seconds each time before doctors revived him.
Askren says he doesn’t remember anything from the weekslong health ordeal. This memory loss, while concerning, may have been a blessing in disguise. The trauma of experiencing cardiac arrest four times, along with the intensive medical interventions required to keep him alive, would be overwhelming for anyone to process.
The timeline was brutal: from May 28 to July 2, Askren was in a medical blackout, his body shutting down repeatedly. During this period, his family lived in constant fear, never knowing if each day would be his last. The man who had made a career out of controlling outcomes through skill and preparation was now entirely at the mercy of medical technology and the dedication of his healthcare team.
The repeated cardiac arrests highlight just how severe his condition had become. When the heart stops, brain damage can occur within minutes without immediate intervention. The fact that Askren recovered from these episodes with his cognitive function intact speaks to both the quick response of his medical team and perhaps a bit of the same luck that helped him succeed in athletics.
The Grueling Road to Recovery
When Ben Askren finally began to wake up from his medical coma, the man who emerged was dramatically different from the one who had entered the hospital weeks earlier. Askren discusses his recovery as well as sharing some scary details, including losing roughly 50 pounds in 45 days.
To put this weight loss in perspective, Askren competed as a welterweight in the UFC at 170 pounds. Losing 50 pounds in such a short time meant he had lost nearly 30% of his body weight—a staggering transformation that left him physically weakened and needing to relearn basic functions.
In a recent video update that shocked fans, Ben Askren has bared all in a new social media video showing the brutal truth and severity of his life-saving double lung transplant. The visual impact of seeing a once-powerful athlete reduced to such a frail state drove home the severity of what he had endured.
But true to his fighting spirit, Askren approached recovery with the same methodical determination that made him successful in wrestling and MMA. The process has been slow but steady, with each small victory—taking a few steps, breathing without assistance, regaining strength—marking progress toward his new normal.
The recovery process for lung transplant patients is particularly challenging because the lungs are essential for every physical activity. Simple tasks that most people take for granted, like walking across a room or climbing stairs, become significant challenges that require rebuilding both cardiovascular fitness and basic motor skills.
An Outpouring of Support from Unexpected Places
One of the most touching aspects of Askren’s health crisis has been the overwhelming support from the fighting community, including some surprising sources. Ben Askren got honest about messages he received from two former rivals in the wake of his life-threatening illness.
The MMA world can be brutal, with rivalries and bad blood often extending beyond the cage. But Askren’s health scare transcended these typical divisions. Former opponents, promoters, and fans rallied around him and his family during their darkest hours.
Askren received a life-saving double lung transplant with the financial help of Dana White, after his insurance would not cover the surgery. This gesture from the UFC CEO, despite their sometimes rocky relationship, demonstrates how the fighting community comes together when one of their own faces a life-threatening situation.
The financial aspect of organ transplantation often gets overlooked in discussions about these procedures. The surgery itself can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the lifetime of anti-rejection medications and follow-up care adds significantly to the burden. Having the support of figures like Dana White likely made the difference between receiving life-saving care and facing impossible financial decisions.
Social media became a lifeline for the Askren family during this period, with Amy providing regular updates that kept fans informed while also serving as a way to process their own emotions during this traumatic time. The response from fans, fellow fighters, and the broader MMA community provided both emotional support and practical assistance when it was needed most.
Understanding the Medical Challenge: Staph Infections and Their Dangers
While Ben Askren’s case represents an extreme outcome, it serves as an important reminder about the potential dangers of seemingly common infections. Staph infections are caused by germs that are commonly found on the skin or in the nose of many healthy people. According to the Mayo Clinic, these types of bacteria typically cause ‘no problems’, but they can turn ‘deadly’ if they enter deeper into the body.
This progression from harmless skin bacteria to life-threatening systemic infection illustrates how quickly medical situations can escalate. Most people carry staph bacteria without ever experiencing problems, but when these organisms gain access to the bloodstream or vital organs, they can cause devastating damage.
There are millions of staph infections reported each year. The vast majority are minor skin infections that respond well to antibiotics. However, Askren’s case demonstrates what can happen when these infections become invasive and resistant to treatment.
The development of pneumonia from a staph infection represents a particularly dangerous progression. When bacteria invade the lungs, they can cause rapid deterioration of respiratory function, as happened in Askren’s case. The infection likely triggered an inflammatory response that damaged his lung tissue so severely that transplantation became the only viable option for survival.
Life After Transplantation: The New Reality
While he’s down a ton of weight and fresh off major lung transplant surgery, his long-term prognosis is very good. This optimistic outlook from Askren himself reflects both his fighting spirit and the remarkable advances in transplant medicine that make long-term survival possible.
However, life after organ transplantation involves significant adjustments. Transplant recipients must take immunosuppressive medications for the rest of their lives to prevent rejection of the new organs. These medications, while essential, increase the risk of infections, certain cancers, and other complications.
For someone like Askren, who built his identity around physical performance and competition, adapting to these new limitations requires a fundamental shift in mindset. The days of intense training, weight cutting, and physical combat are over, but new opportunities for contribution and fulfillment are emerging.
The psychological adjustment to post-transplant life can be as challenging as the physical recovery. Many recipients experience survivor’s guilt, knowing that their second chance came at the cost of another person’s life. Processing these complex emotions while dealing with the physical demands of recovery requires tremendous mental strength—qualities that Askren’s athletic background may actually help him navigate.
The Impact on Family and Future Plans
Throughout this ordeal, Amy Askren has shown remarkable strength and resilience. Managing the medical crisis, coordinating with doctors, communicating with fans, and caring for their three children while her husband fought for his life required extraordinary courage and organization.
The experience has undoubtedly changed the family’s perspective on priorities and the future. Plans that once revolved around fighting careers, training schedules, and athletic achievements have been replaced by focus on health, recovery, and simply being present for each precious day together.
For their children, watching their father’s health crisis and recovery provides both trauma and profound lessons about resilience, the importance of family support, and the unpredictability of life. These experiences, while difficult, may ultimately strengthen family bonds and provide valuable perspective on what truly matters.
Askren’s future likely involves continued involvement in wrestling and MMA as a coach, commentator, or mentor rather than as an active competitor. His experience, both as a successful athlete and as someone who has faced mortality, gives him unique wisdom to share with the next generation of fighters.
Medical Advances That Made Survival Possible
Askren’s survival story also highlights the remarkable advances in critical care medicine and transplant surgery that make recovery from such severe conditions possible. The ECMO technology that kept him alive during the worst phases of his illness was science fiction just a few decades ago.
Double lung transplantation, first successfully performed in the 1980s, has evolved dramatically in terms of surgical techniques, organ preservation, and post-operative care. The fact that Askren could go from having four cardiac arrests to being home with his family months later demonstrates the life-saving potential of modern medicine.
The coordination required for successful organ transplantation—from donor matching to surgical teams to post-operative care—represents one of medicine’s most complex achievements. Askren’s case succeeded because of the dedication of numerous healthcare professionals working together toward a common goal of saving his life.
These medical advances give hope to other patients facing similar crises. What seemed like a certain death sentence just a generation ago has become, while still dangerous and challenging, a survivable condition with appropriate treatment and some luck.
Lessons in Resilience and Perspective
Ben Askren’s health crisis and ongoing recovery offer powerful lessons about resilience, the importance of community support, and finding meaning in the face of life-altering challenges. His journey from elite athlete to transplant recipient demonstrates that strength comes in many forms.
The transition from being someone who controlled outcomes through training and skill to someone dependent on medical technology and the generosity of organ donors requires a fundamental shift in mindset. Askren’s ability to maintain optimism and humor throughout this process speaks to the mental toughness that served him well in athletics.
His willingness to share his story publicly, including the difficult details about his condition and recovery, helps others facing similar challenges feel less alone. When public figures are transparent about their struggles, it normalizes these experiences and reduces stigma around serious illness.
The outpouring of support Askren received also demonstrates the power of community in times of crisis. From former rivals sending messages of support to fans organizing fundraising efforts, his story shows how shared humanity can overcome professional and personal differences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Ben Askren?
In 2025, Ben Askren developed severe pneumonia from a staph infection, which led to critical lung failure requiring a double lung transplant. The infection progressed rapidly, leaving him dependent on life support systems and ultimately requiring new lungs to survive.
Is Ben Askren recovering?
Yes, Askren is recovering at home following his transplant surgery. He lost roughly 50 pounds in 45 days and faces a long rehabilitation process, but his doctors are optimistic about his long-term prognosis with proper care and medication.
Will Ben Askren fight again?
No, Askren will not return to professional fighting. The demands of anti-rejection medications and the risks associated with contact sports make competitive fighting impossible. However, he remains involved in the MMA community through coaching and commentary.
How close was he to dying?
Askren’s heart stopped four times during his ordeal, with each episode lasting about 20 seconds before doctors revived him. He has no memory of the weeks-long health crisis, which likely protected him from the psychological trauma of these near-death experiences.
Who supported him during recovery?
The support came from throughout the fighting community, including former rivals and competitors. UFC CEO Dana White helped with financial support when insurance wouldn’t cover the surgery costs. Fans, fellow fighters, and wrestling community members provided both emotional and financial assistance.
Where did the transplant take place?
Askren was hospitalized in his home state of Wisconsin, where he received his double lung transplant. The procedure was performed at the end of June 2025 after he was placed on the transplant waiting list.
What support is available for those affected?
Transplant recipients typically receive comprehensive support including medical follow-up, medication management, and psychological counseling. The transplant community often provides peer support networks where patients can connect with others who have undergone similar procedures.
Looking Forward: A New Chapter
Ben Askren’s journey from the brink of death to recovery represents more than just a medical success story—it’s a testament to human resilience, the power of community support, and the remarkable capabilities of modern medicine. While his fighting career may be over, his most important victory may still be ahead of him.
“Every new day he has is a gift,” his wife Amy wrote, and this perspective seems to guide the family’s approach to their new reality. Rather than mourning what was lost, they’re focusing on what remains possible.
The experience has undoubtedly changed Askren’s relationship with his own mortality and his priorities in life. The man who once measured success by wins and losses in athletic competition now measures it in breaths taken without assistance, steps walked without falling, and moments shared with family.
His story continues to inspire others facing their own health battles, showing that even in the darkest moments, hope and determination can light the way forward. The same qualities that made him successful in wrestling and MMA—persistence, mental toughness, and the ability to adapt to new challenges—serve him well in this new chapter of his life.
As Ben Askren continues his recovery, surrounded by family and supported by a community that has rallied around him, his greatest fight continues. It’s not happening in an octagon or on a wrestling mat, but in the quiet moments of daily progress, the gradual rebuilding of strength, and the deep appreciation for each day that his donor’s gift has made possible.
The “Funky” era of Ben Askren’s career may be over, but his most meaningful chapter—as a survivor, father, and inspiration to others facing impossible odds—is just beginning.
