Former UFC Star Ben Askren Undergoes Double Lung Transplant Surgery, Wife Announces

Ex-MMA champion Ben Askren has undergone successful double lung transplant surgery, per his wife, Amy Askren, on her personal Facebook page.

"We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant. 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. It still doesn’t feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly. 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."

Askren revealed on June 7 that her husband was hospitalized with severe pneumonia and was "unable to respond to anything."

Ten days later, Askren said her husband was on a ventilator and ecmo (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and that there were "good days and bad." She also said the evaluation process had started for a lung transplant.

Thankfully, that process is complete, and Askren has taken a major positive turn toward recovery.

Askren is a decorated collegiate wrestler and professional MMA fighter. He won back-to-back NCAA national championships for the University of Missouri in the 174-pound division in 2006 and 2007. Askren is a University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Famer.

Two years after the latter victory, Askren fought his first professional MMA bout. He ended up winning the Bellator Welterweight World Championship in 2010 and later the ONE Welterweight Championship in 2014.

Askren entered the UFC in 2019 with an 18-0 (one no-contest) record. He defeated Robbie Lawler in his first professional bout before losing to Jorge Masvidal and Damian Maia. The latter match was the last of his MMA career.

Askren announced his retirement in November 2019, noting that hip issues had hindered him for "three to five years-ish."

Askren has been married since 2010 to Amy, and they have three children.