Ben Askren talks tough health battle

Former MMA star Ben Askren provided a health update more than a month after he was hospitalized with a severe illness that required a double lung transplant.

Askren posted a video to social media from his hospital bed on Wednesday. He said he didn’t remember anything from May 28 to July 2.

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UFC fighter Ben Askren waits for the start of a middleweight mixed martial arts bout between David Branch and Jared Cannonier at UFC 230 in New York on Nov. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

“It was like a movie,” he said, adding that he read through his wife’s journal to catch up on what had happened to him. “I only died four times, where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds.

“But I got the double lung transplant. I made it out to the other side of it. Gaining quite a bit of strength. Learning to use everything again. I was on the scale yesterday, 147 pounds. I haven’t been 147 pounds since 15 years old. … So, that was a battle. I don’t remember most of it.”

Amy Askren wrote last week that her husband received a donor for the double lung transplant after falling ill in May.

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Ben Askren stands in his corner prior to his welterweight bout against Demian Maia of Brazil during the UFC Fight Night event at Singapore Indoor Stadium on Oct. 26, 2019 in Singapore. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“The thing that was most impactful to me was all the love I felt from everybody and it was almost like I got to be at my own funeral … The outpouring of love from the wrestling community was just amazing,” he said. “It felt so good. I’m more motivated than ever to give back.”

Askren recently signed with Real American Freestyle – the Hulk Hogan venture hoping to popularize professional freestyle wrestling.

The 40-year-old was an NCAA champion in the 170-pound division in 2006 and 2007 and went on to compete for Team USA in the 2008 Olympics. He won gold medals at the 2005 Pan American Championships and the 2009 World Championships.

He made his full transition to MMA fighting when he debuted in Bellator in 2010. He then competed in ONE Championship before taking on the UFC.

Ben Askren during UFC 235 at T-Mobile Arena. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)

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He defeated Robbie Lawler via submission at UFC 235 before he lost to Jorge Masvidal in a high-profile bout. In 2021, he fought Jake Paul in a boxing match.

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