Axed UFC Fighter Reveals Dana White’s Shocking Help After Car Crash, Joins Ben Askren List

With UFC Nashville wrapped up, one of the most talked-about controversies in recent weeks finally received some clarity — did UFC CEO Dana White step up to help the ailing Ben Askren? A severe case of pneumonia had hit ‘Funky’ hard last month, which led to a life-threatening complication: he contracted a staph infection, was placed on ECMO and ventilator support, and ultimately underwent a successful double lung transplant in Wisconsin. As his condition deteriorated, the mounting medical bills reportedly, though not officially verified could have exceeded $2 million, not $500,000. The Askren family’s insurance coverage had allegedly denied the claim, leaving them in desperate circumstances.

To make matters worse, their insurance provider allegedly backed out, leaving them stranded at a critical moment. As word of Ben Askren’s condition spread, the MMA community quickly rallied around him. Fans from around the world contributed, and even his former rival Jake Paul made headlines by announcing a donation. Paul didn’t stop there—he also took a pointed shot at Dana White, implying the UFC boss hadn’t stepped up to help. To everyone’s surprise, however, the tables have now turned.

Dana White’s big heart emerged as he confirmed helping Ben Askren

Thanks to the global support, the fundraising efforts paid off. Askren, who had been in a coma, recently shared two short video clips showing him awake and speaking again, though clearly still in recovery. Despite the good news, criticism toward Dana White continued to mount — until today’s post-fight press conference following UFC Nashville. Faced with a direct question about whether he had helped ‘Funky’ financially, the UFC CEO finally broke his silence, “I usually don’t talk about that stuff but yes I did,” Dana White said, putting the speculation to rest.

In the wake of White’s gesture of support for Ben Askren, former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev also resurfaced in the conversation. Released from the promotion nearly a year ago because of chaotic behavior, Mokaev has made several efforts to mend his strained relationship with Dana White and the UFC. Earlier today, Mokaev took to Twitter and shared his own story, writing: “Same thing he did when I had car crash” — suggesting that the Bossman had once quietly supported him during a difficult time.

It wasn’t the first time Mokaev had opened up about the incident. Back in May, he revealed: “When I had car crash after being cut from UFC I received some money from Dana too, not sure what for but it meant a lot to me.” Neither Dana White nor the UFC has ever confirmed that claim. Still, one thing remains clear: despite Mokaev’s efforts to rebuild bridges, the UFC CEO has shown no interest in welcoming the rising Dagestani talent back into the promotion.

White reacts to Ben Askren’s emotional video after lung transplant goes viral

After spending several harrowing weeks in a coma, Ben Askren finally woke up just four days ago. But the man who emerged is barely recognizable from the fighter fans once knew. While on a ventilator at a hospital in Wisconsin, ‘Funky’ fought for his life—and in a brief Instagram video, he revealed he had lost 50 pounds in just 45 days after developing severe pneumonia.

Now, following a successful lung transplant, Ben Askren shared that he has no memory of anything between April 28 and July 2. After reading through his wife’s journal entries, he somberly revealed, “I only died four times.” In that same video, the former UFC star expressed heartfelt gratitude toward the wrestling and MMA communities for their unwavering support. Still, his appearance—frail, thin, and clearly recovering—was a stark reminder of just how brutal his battle had been.

Even UFC CEO Dana White was visibly stunned by the footage. Speaking on the Full Send podcast when asked if he had seen the clip of Ben Askren’s return, the Bossman said, “I did, I saw that popping up on my feed. Yeah, he doesn’t even look the same, it’s f—— such a trip. You know the kind of shape you’ve got to be in to go through what that f—— guy just went through? It’s unbelievable. I don’t know all the details. I know he had like, what is it? That s— you get on your skin… Staph.”

A lot of fans, notably on Reddit and X, have compared White’s personal financial help to the fact that the UFC still doesn’t offer health insurance or medical treatment after a fighter’s career. This story has brought back the question: should groups like the UFC set up more formal mechanisms, or is this kind of last-minute personal help enough?

As of now, Ben Askren remains under close medical supervision but continues to update fans regularly through social media. The exact nature and extent of Dana White’s financial assistance have not been made public. We’ll keep you posted as more information comes to light — stay tuned for further updates.