Ben Askren posts video after lung transplant. Photo: Montage/SUPER LUTAS – Ben Askren
Away from the octagon spotlight and the intense training routine, Ben Askren is currently facing a much more delicate battle: rebuilding his life after overcoming serious health complications. At 41, the former UFC fighter and Bellator champion underwent a double lung transplant as a result of severe pneumonia and a bacterial infection that nearly killed him.
After weeks of hospitalization, including stays in the ICU and critical moments where his heart stopped, Askren was discharged and is now beginning a slow and difficult process of physical rehabilitation. The American recently posted a video on social media showing the reality of the post-operative period. Visibly thinner and having difficulty walking, he reported being about 16 kg below his ideal weight and still relies on a walker to get around.
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"It's humiliating. I'm walking with a walker, and a two-kilogram dumbbell feels like an Olympic barbell. But it doesn't matter where I am now. What matters is where I'll be in the future. I'll try my best, I'll get better. Almost no one is in worse physical shape than me right now. I walk with a walker and can barely lift four pounds. It's pathetic," Askren said.
The hospitalization left deep scars. The former fighter said he doesn't remember anything between the end of May and the beginning of July, the period during which he was hospitalized and underwent surgery. Still, he prefers to focus on what lies ahead, maintaining a positive tone and challenging his followers to also face their own obstacles.
"Almost no one is in worse physical shape than me right now. But if I can try, so can you. Let's start, let's change. But no matter where I start, I'll end up different. For those who haven't started, get your asses moving, get started. I have a long way to go, maybe you do too. Let's make it happen," he declared.
Don't talk about it, be about it! pic.twitter.com/UecxXK7798
— Funky (@Benaskren) July 28, 2025
Ben Askren and the fight for life
The health crisis that pushed Ben Askren to the limit began with a case of aggressive pneumonia, aggravated by a staphylococcus infection. The severity of the situation caused his lungs to fail, forcing doctors to perform a double transplant on July 1st.
During this time, the American was revived four times after cardiac arrests and lost more than 22 kg in just 45 days. He is now home.
Read More about: Ben askren, MMA, One Championship, UFC
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