Ben Askren may finally be on the long and arduous road to recovery. The former UFC star has been battling a severe case of pneumonia that escalated and left him in the hospital on a ventilator. The damage to his lungs was so severe that he was also placed on the ECMO or Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Machine. But amidst the hospital machines and prayers being sent his way, a quiet army of support has emerged from a sport few would expect, disc golf.

Askren’s wife, Amy, recently took to social media to share a powerful update as she wrote, “We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant.” Her post radiated gratitude as she further shared, “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.”

And in an Instagram story, she also thanked the disc golf community that has rallied behind the Askren family during this storm. Amy Askren shared, “Thank you @discraftdiscgolf! Love that Ben’s other favorite sport is supporting him.”

It’s a side of Ben Askren that the fighting world doesn’t always see. While he’s a former Bellator and ONE FC champion, and a UFC veteran, but in his downtime? He prefers to spend his time on a disc golf course. As such, when news broke that Askren was hospitalized with pneumonia, put on a ventilator, and eventually an ECMO machine to keep him alive, the disc golf community didn’t sit back.

A fundraiser was launched by Discraft, a popular disc golf company that’s been close to the Askrens for years. In the heartfelt video that was posted by Ben Askren’s wife on her story, a spokesperson from Discraft gave fans the full picture as he shared, “Good friend of Discrafts, amazing person in the Disc Golf community, Ben Askren, has been going through some tough times recently. He had to have a double lung transplant, which is pretty serious. And to my knowledge, the insurance company did not cover all that. We’ve been in contact with Ben’s wife, and we wanted to do a disc fundraiser, to try to, you know, get as much funds as we could to help out with this, process.”

From there, the mission was clear. Discraft released two limited-edition discs, a tie-dye Z Jawbreaker Thrasher and a funky Big Z Buzz, both inspired by Askren’s personal favorites. The Thrasher even carried a message from a tattoo on Askren’s ankle: “Live free and be happy.”

The fundraiser discs went live on Discraft’s factory store and were also made available to retailers. Fans who couldn’t afford to buy were encouraged to simply share the video.

The video closed with, “Like I said, Ben’s an amazing person. He’s done a lot for us at Discraft and for disc golf as a whole. He’s always repping disc golf. He loves it. He’s got his own course on his property. He’s got his kids into it. So anything, you know, if you guys are willing to buy a disc, that’s great. If you can’t, you don’t have the funds for it or anything like that—if you could just share this video. Like I said, all the proceeds go right to the Askren family.”

Their support wasn’t about clout or credit. It was about lifting a man who’s always played from the heart. And while the disc golf community rallies behind Askren as he recovers from his double-lung transplant, another surprising name has emerged as a supporter for him and his family!

Jake Paul comes out in support of Ben Askren as he fires off on UFC boss Dana White

Who would’ve guessed it? The same man who once knocked out Ben Askren in a boxing ring is now one of the loudest voices in his corner. Jake Paul, fresh off his dominant win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Anaheim, used his post-fight spotlight to do more than just call out future opponents.

After hearing about Askren’s double lung transplant, Paul didn’t hold back as he stated during the post-fight press conference, “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.”

But he didn’t just talk. ‘The Problem Child’ announced he would be making sizable donations to help cover Askren’s mounting medical bills, but not before he took a shot at UFC boss Dana White. Paul shared, “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.”

It’s a surprising turn, considering Paul once brutally went at Askren in the lead-up to their 2021 bout. But when a former opponent becomes an ally in crisis, it speaks volumes.

While his jab at Dana White may stir up controversy, his donation is already making waves. In a sport often driven by ego and rivalries, it’s rare to see a fighter show this level of compassion for someone he once tried to flatten. For Ben Askren, the fight isn’t over, but with a community of disc golf lovers and an unexpected ally in Jake Paul behind him, he’s not facing this battle alone.