Ben Askren has faced tough opponents before, but the former UFC fighter and Olympic wrestler is now locked in a different kind of battle. Earlier this month, ‘Funky’ was rushed to the hospital with severe pneumonia linked to a staph infection. In fact, for a brief moment, rumors even swirled that he had passed away. Thankfully, those proved false.

During this time of turmoil, his wife Amy Askren has become his voice, his advocate, and his lifeline to the outside world. And now, she’s reaching out to the wrestling and combat sports community for financial support.

In a recent post on Instagram, clothing brand Rudis launched a heartfelt campaign, urging the wrestling world to rally. The post, which had Amy tagged as well, stated, “It’s time for the wrestling community to rally behind one of its own. Wrestling is more than a sport, it’s a community. When one of us is in the fight, all of us are. Get your Funky Strong, Funky Tough t-shirt today to support Ben Askren and his family. 100% of proceeds will go directly to his medical expenses and recovery. Visit the link in our bio to get your shirt or make an official donation directly to the Askren Family.”

Every shirt purchased, and every dollar donated—goes straight toward covering the massive costs of Askren’s hospitalization. So, how did this happen to a man known for being one of the healthiest in the sport?

Ben Askren’s health took a sharp and terrifying turn after a pneumonia diagnosis. What started as a respiratory infection soon turned into a critical condition that landed him in the ICU.

Recently, Amy shared an emotional update on Facebook that read, “Ben is still on a ventilator and ecmo to support him while he heals. There are good days and bad, but on the good, they have been able to wean his sedation enough for him to open his eyes and squeeze hands. His body can’t handle coming off sedation too much yet. I’m still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for lung transplant.”

‘ECMO’ refers to the ‘Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation’ machine, a tool utilized by doctors to take over when a patient’s organs, like their heart or lungs, become compromised and cannot operate normally. Amy further added that the transplant process is already in motion. Her biggest hope? That Ben makes the list quickly, and that, if needed, he receives a donor lung in time.

Ben Askren, now 40, had retired from professional fighting in 2019 after 3 fights under the UFC banner. After a boxing match against Jake Paul, he shifted his energy toward coaching young wrestlers at his Wisconsin-based academy. He remained a visible figure in the combat sports world and was one-half of the Funky and the Champ show on YouTube with Daniel Cormier. It’s not easy to watch a fighter fall. But it’s powerful to watch a community rise to support one of their own.

UFC and Daniel Cormier join their voices in sending “prayers” for Ben Askren and his family

Fighters step into the Octagon alone. But when one of their own is down, the whole UFC family shows up. At UFC Atlanta, fists weren’t the only things flying. In the middle of fight night, the broadcast paused for something bigger, a message of hope for Ben Askren. His longtime friend and podcast partner, Daniel Cormier, wasn’t cageside this time. Instead, he watched from home, and like many fans, he got emotional when the broadcast cut to a tribute to ‘Funky.’

UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald addressed the moment live and shared, “The MMA community has rallied around the Askren family, urging prayers for Amy and their three children. We here at the UFC certainly join in sending all our support to Ben, his wife Amy, and their kids as they stay strong through this difficult fight.”

Paul Felder added, “All our best wishes are out to his wife and kids. We’re just hoping that he absolutely pulls through and makes a recovery.” As such, Cormier shared the moment online with a heartfelt message that read, “Thank you @ufc. @benaskren we all love you buddy. Amy we’re all praying for you guys daily!”

But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Ben Askren, it’s that he doesn’t quit. From Olympic wrestling to Bellator domination, the man has made a life out of grinding through the toughest moments. And for Amy, watching her husband fight from a hospital bed, those words might mean more than any championship ever could. This time, the fight is real, and the MMA and wrestling worlds are firmly in ‘Funky’s corner!