After emerging from a long coma-like state following a double lung transplant, Ben Askren continues to face serious health challenges. The former UFC star—widely known for his wrestling prowess—is now earning admiration for his resilience in the fight of his life. Askren’s health crisis began in late May, when a severe bout of pneumonia, compounded by a staph infection, caused both of his lungs to fail. He eventually slipped into a coma. It wasn’t until early July that he regained consciousness.

Since then, a wave of support has poured in from friends, the MMA community, and fans around the world. While the transplant saved his life, doctors made it clear that things would never be the same. His new lungs, though life-saving, are still adapting to his body. Even with a successful transplant, doctors have warned that they may never function like his original ones.

Despite the uphill battle, Ben Askren has remained remarkably positive, leaning on faith, family, and sheer determination. In his latest appearance on FloWrestling, more than a week ago, the 41-year-old opened up about a personal transformation that took place after he awoke. Askren said, “I woke up and started as a Christian. So that’s crazy. My wife went to church for 15 years, and I said I’m not a Christian, but I’ll support you. And it was really weird when I woke up, I was like, I gotta do it.”

The powerful moment struck a chord well beyond MMA circles. Former UFC star Conor McGregor shared the statement on his Instagram story. A vocal advocate, the Irishman reposted the quote with a simple caption: “Jesus is King.”

But Askren’s fight hasn’t just been about health—it’s also taken a serious financial toll. He and his family have personally shouldered the costs of his double lung transplant and the ongoing post-operative care, including expensive medications and therapy, which have amounted to nearly $2 million.

To help manage the overwhelming expenses, the former ONE Championship star even put his 2008 Olympic singlet up for auction. Hundreds of supporters gathered to stand behind the beloved Olympian during a fundraiser held at an outdoor wrestling event at Kettle Moraine High School in Wisconsin.

Ben Askren shares “humbling” update as he continues to recover

Ben Askren continues his weekly health update series with a new video—but sadly, the former Olympian and UFC star still remains in the hospital. He battled through a life-threatening ordeal and spent 59 straight days under medical care. Now, doctors have readmitted the 41-year-old due to a suspected infection. In his latest video from the hospital room, the former ONE Championship titleholder openly shares that the journey has been nothing short of “humbling.”

Ben Askren shared a candid update on his condition, saying, “I believe this is update No. 8, and I’m still in the effing hospital. I came on Monday for a checkup. They said something was infected, and now it’s kind of just been thing after thing after thing.” Despite the ongoing complications, Askren remains mentally strong. “I’m going to be out of here sometime. I just don’t know when it is, so I just had to tell myself that, tell myself to be patient and not get too frustrated,” he added.

Though the setbacks continue, Ben Askren has remained calm and grounded in his perspective. He used the opportunity to share a powerful message with fans, calling his medical crisis a humbling and valuable life lesson. “I took care of myself, didn’t ask for help, but man, when you can’t, I couldn’t run away when I couldn’t walk and talk. I asked for help. And even now, especially when I’m at home, I’ve got to keep asking for help because I can’t do much myself at all. That was kind of humbling, and it was good,” Askren reflected.

For now, Askren continues his recovery and keeps fans updated through weekly video messages on social media. He’s been documenting his journey step by step—and we’ll keep bringing you the latest as it happens. Stay tuned.