Ben Askren did not get the fairytale ending he hoped for at RAF 11 in Milwaukee. However, for a man who almost died a little over a year ago, simply walking to the mat for a wrestling match against a former UFC champion in what was his last bout was already a big victory.

The former UFC star returned to competition against ex-UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad just 13 months after suffering a severe staph infection that developed into necrotizing pneumonia and forced Askren to undergo a life-saving double lung transplant. But while he did win that war, tonight’s RAF battle was lost against Muhammad as ‘Remember The Name’ won 6-3 after three hard-fought periods. However, the scoreline quickly became an afterthought.

“My lungs hurt. I get tired real fast these days,” Askren told Chael Sonnen after the match, revealing that his body simply couldn’t keep up anymore. “I tried as hard as I could in the third period, but my legs wouldn’t carry me any longer.

“For sure, my last time. Other than that, I love you guys. I really do.”

The contest itself was significantly more competitive than many expected. Belal Muhammad had confessed beforehand that he was in a “lose-lose” situation, knowing that a victory over someone who had nearly died 13 months prior would not bring him much credit, yet a defeat would be considered a great upset.

Yet, Ben Askren demonstrated why he is still regarded as one of the finest wrestlers of his generation, establishing a 1-0 lead when ‘Remember The Name’ was penalized for missing the shot clock and expanding his lead in the second period. Belal Muhammad eventually found another gear in the third, securing a takedown and a reversal to seal a 6-3 victory.

The result mattered little compared to what ‘Funky’ had already achieved. According to reports, he died four times during the life-saving surgery, and there were periods throughout his recovery when even the most basic daily tasks felt impossible. Reflecting on that journey, Ben Askren delivered the most emotional moment of the night.

“I couldn’t find a better place to do this,” he continued in his retirement speech. “I worked just hard as s— in the last year. It was tough. There were times I couldn’t feed myself. I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t go to the bathroom.

“And every single day I woke up and I thanked God for the chance to do it just one more time. And I promised God, I’m gonna make the most of this day. I’m gonna treat people well, I’m gonna work my a– off, and I’m gonna try to make a difference in the world. I love you guys.”

It is also worth noting that for Ben Askren, simply getting back on the mat needed a comeback that once seemed impossible.

Ben Askren Completed a 42-Pound Transformation Before His Wrestling Return

Following his bout with necrotizing pneumonia, Ben Askren appeared in one of his first public updates, sitting in a wheelchair, visibly frail and unable to stand on his own.

He reportedly weighed only 147 pounds at his lowest point, a stunning decrease for someone who spent the majority of his MMA career competing at welterweight and normally walked around in the 180s.

After months of recovery, the former Bellator and ONE champion gradually regained his strength and body. Every pound gained was another step toward returning to the sport that had made him one of the world’s most decorated wrestlers.

The journey culminated at the RAF Wrestling weigh-ins, where Ben Askren weighed 189.8 lbs. The result represented a remarkable 42-pound climb from his reported lowest weight, leaving him just over a pound short of his career-high 191 lbs weight he carried into his 2021 boxing match against Jake Paul.

Ben Askren may not have won against Belal Muhammad, but after coming back from the edge of death to compete one last time, he left the mat with something far more valuable than another win on his resume. He left with the perfect sense of closure on an illustrated career that one can only dream of.