Former UFC fighter and Olympic wrestler Ben Askren has undergone a double lung transplant after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia, his wife Amy announced on Monday.
The 40-year-old, who was “completely healthy just five weeks ago”, developed pneumonia following a staph infection and required the life-saving procedure.
Amy Askren shared the news on social media, expressing gratitude to the donor family and asking for continued prayers as her husband begins his recovery.
She wrote: “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 Askren confirmed in Facebook post that her husband Ben has received the transplant
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His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to his hospitalisation on 7 June.
Askren revealed the dramatic change in her husband’s health, noting he had been “walking around completely healthy” just five weeks before requiring critical care.
The successful transplant operation marks the beginning of what his wife described as “a new lifestyle” for the retired fighter.
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Amy Askren’s full statement emphasised the family’s gratitude whilst acknowledging the challenging journey ahead: “Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own.
“I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can’t wait to tell Ben all about it.
“I’m hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off.”
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Ben Askren enjoyed a succesful fighting career, losing just three bouts
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Askren enjoyed a distinguished career in both wrestling and mixed martial arts before his retirement in 2019.
He was a two-time NCAA Division I champion and won gold medals at the 2005 Pan American Championships and 2009 World Championships.
The Missouri wrestler competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, reaching the quarterfinals.
He transitioned to MMA in 2009, compiling a 19-2 record with one no-contest across 22 fights.
Askren captured welterweight titles in both Bellator and ONE Championship before joining the UFC in 2019 through an unprecedented trade deal involving Demetrious Johnson.
He retired after three UFC bouts, later losing a boxing match to Jake Paul in 2021.