The MMA community has finally rejoiced as Ben Askren provided his health update this time. ‘Funky’ was battling a Staph infection that led to pneumonia in late May 2025. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and later shifted to another healthcare facility in Wisconsin. But the concerns rose higher when Askren’s lungs began to collapse. He was put on an ECMO, as the doctors had to mechanize his breathing when Askren developed pus-filled holes in his lungs. The solution to this was a double lung transplant. With the prayers that his wife, Amy Askren, kept asking for, ‘Funky’ was able to get on the transplant list and underwent the transplantation surgery. And now, he brought out nothing but joy, as he provided the update himself, likely leaving his wife in an emotional state.

Askren’s Instagram profile recently uploaded a video wherein he said, “Whenever this is all the way over, I actually just read through my wife’s journal ’cause I don’t remember anything from May 28th to July 2. No recollection, zero idea, no idea what happened. We’ll kind of go through it all. I just read through my wife’s journal. It’s like a movie. It’s ridiculous. So, I only died four times, where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds.” 

Of course, that’s not an ideal scenario. But in the end, he received that double lung transplant and is currently on his way to complete recovery. And the best part? He’s slowly regaining his strength. He continued, “Learning to use everything again, I was actually on a scale yesterday and 147 pounds. I haven’t been 147 pounds since 15 years old. So, I lost like 50 pounds in a 45-day period. Man, that was a battle.” 

And the most impactful thing, as per the two-time NCAA Division I champion, was the support he received from the world, especially the wrestling community. With a teary voice, he claimed, “It was almost like I got to have my own funeral. … The outpouring of love from the wrestling community was just amazing. It felt so good.” He went on to thank the fighting community and assured that he’d give a complete update in the near future. Soon, his wife shared Askren’s latest updates on her Instagram Story. In the caption, she shared six emojis, “♥️♥️♥️🙏🙏🙏.”

Needless to say, the wrestling community backed the finances of the former UFC fighter. A $10M worth clothing brand, Rudis, sold T-shirts with text that read, “Funky Strong, Funky Tough,” and donated all the proceeds to Askren. Discraft, a disc golf company, also raised some funds for the UFC star. But Askren’s condition also poured fuel onto an existing rivalry between Jake Paul and Dana White.

Jake Paul calls Dana White out as he tries to raise funds for Ben Askren

Back when Askren was still struggling to get on the transplant list, it was revealed that his insurance company wasn’t going to cover the expenses of the transplant. Of course, the entire world was upset about it. And Jake Paul was one of the many who called the insurance company out. He stated, “It’s just insane. Insurance is a f—scam, and it’s so sad. And right when you need these companies, they’re not there, and it’s f—– up.”

‘The Problem Child’ even targeted the UFC head honcho, Dana White. He continued, “I was obviously super busy this week, so we’re figuring out the donation now. But none of these people, like Dana [White] or anyone, are stepping in. So I feel like I have to do something. And that’s really all it is.” 

But it wasn’t as if White didn’t help Askren at all. He shared a link to help raise funds for ‘Funky’ through his Instagram Story. No doubt, the act was something that the fighting community didn’t like. According to many, a multi-millionaire asking the MMA world to help his former fighter didn’t look good. But in the end, all was well. Now, we can expect Askren to recover and regain his former strength. What do you think of ‘Funky’s recent health battle?