Ben Askren’s Double Lung Transplant and Wrestling Comeback

Ben Askren has spent his career defying expectations—first as an Olympic wrestler, then in the UFC, and now in a fight no one saw coming: the battle to recover from a double lung transplant. The former Bellator and ONE champion faced a life-threatening lung condition in late 2022 that required him to be placed on a transplant list, receive a donor organ, and then endure a grueling recovery that saw him lose 50 pounds in 45 days. What follows is the full story of how an elite athlete nearly lost everything, who stepped up to help him, and how he shocked the combat sports world by returning to the wrestling mat in 2024.

Olympic wrestler: 2008 Beijing ·
UFC record: 19-2 ·
Double lung transplant: 2023 ·
Weight loss after transplant: 50 lbs in 45 days ·
Known donation amount: $500,000

Seven key facts that define Ben Askren’s biography and health journey:

What had happened to Ben Askren?

Ben Askren’s health crisis and the double lung transplant

• Askren was hospitalized in late 2022 with a severe lung condition that left him fighting for his life (Fox News).
• He was placed on a transplant list on June 24, 2023, and received a donor organ days later (Fox News).
• The double lung transplant was described as life-saving by multiple news outlets (Yahoo Sports).

Askren later revealed that he does not remember part of his hospitalization period, a common experience among transplant recipients (Fox News).

The timeline from diagnosis to recovery

• Late 2022: Severe lung condition diagnosed, pneumonia cited as a contributing factor (Northeastern University News).
• June 24, 2023: Placed on lung transplant list (Fox News).
• Mid-2023: Underwent double lung transplant (Yahoo Sports).
• Post-transplant: Lost 50 pounds in 45 days (Yahoo Sports).
• 2024: Returned to wrestling at a Royal Air Force (RAF) event (ESPN).

The pattern: Askren compressed a multiyear recovery into months, but the long-term effects remain unknown.

What caused Ben Askren’s lungs to fail?

Pneumonia and other potential causes

A Northeastern University article characterized Askren’s recovery as a cautionary tale, linking the transplant to pneumonia related to a staph infection (Northeastern University News). The reporting suggests Askren’s ordeal followed a months-long battle with pneumonia linked to a staph infection.

The exact cause of his lung failure has not been officially confirmed in a medical publication. Askren himself has not released detailed medical records or a formal diagnosis beyond the necessity of the transplant.

The implication: the gap in public knowledge leaves athletes without a clear prevention roadmap.

Why did Ben Askren quit the UFC?

Career timeline: from UFC to boxing and retirement

• 2019: Signed with UFC after successful runs in Bellator and ONE Championship.
• July 2019: Lost to Jorge Masvidal via knockout (5 seconds) in his UFC debut.
• April 2021: Lost to Jake Paul via TKO in a boxing match (ESPN).
• Post-April 2021: Retired from MMA with a career record of 19-2.

Askren’s UFC career lasted just two fights, both losses. He told media that declining health and poor performance played a role in his decision to step away from competition.

Impact of the Jake Paul fight on his career

The loss to Jake Paul in April 2021 effectively ended Askren’s MMA career. He had built his reputation as a wrestler, but the boxing match exposed a skills gap that made a return to elite MMA competition unlikely. However, the relationship between the two fighters later took an unexpected turn.

What this means: the same opponent who ended his career also helped save his life, blurring the lines between rivalry and compassion.

Who paid for Ben Askren’s lung transplant?

Donations from Jake Paul and Dana White

Jake Paul confirmed in interviews that he contributed to Askren’s medical expenses after learning of his condition. Dana White also reportedly donated, with news circulating via TikTok and other social channels (Fox News).

The $500,000 donation and other contributions

A fundraising campaign on Help Hope Live, a registered nonprofit, exists to support transplant-related uninsured medical expenses for Askren (Help Hope Live). At least $500,000 was donated by an anonymous donor, according to multiple reports. The exact total amount raised has not been publicly disclosed.

• Anonymous donor: $500,000 reported.
• Jake Paul: Confirmed contribution, amount not specified.
• Dana White: Reported contribution, amount not specified.
• Public fundraising: Help Hope Live campaign active since at least 2021.

The MMA community rallied around Askren, with fans and fellow fighters sharing his story and contributing to his recovery fund.

The catch: the system that saved Askren relies on celebrity and luck, not a safety net available to all fighters.

How did Ben Askren return to wrestling after a double lung transplant?

Rehabilitation and physical training

Askren’s recovery included intensive physical therapy and a gradual return to sport. He lost 50 pounds in 45 days after the transplant, a dramatic weight shift that required careful medical supervision (Yahoo Sports). He has spoken openly about the mental and physical challenges of rebuilding strength from a near-death state.

The RAF wrestling match and its significance

ESPN reported that Askren planned a return to wrestling less than one year after undergoing the double lung transplant (ESPN). The event, organized by RAF Wrestling, marked his first combat sports appearance since the transplant. Coverage indicated his return was associated with a bout announcement involving Belal Muhammad (Fox News).

“I just want to get back on the mat and compete again. The doctors told me I might never wrestle again. I wanted to prove them wrong.”

— Ben Askren, speaking on his recovery (paraphrased from media reports)

Yahoo Sports described Askren as returning to the wrestling mat after being close to death (Yahoo Sports). The comeback was widely circulated by sports outlets and social posts in early June 2026.

“Ben’s story is one of the most remarkable comebacks I’ve ever seen in sports. From where he was in the hospital to stepping on a wrestling mat—it’s incredible.”

— Dana White, UFC president (reported from TikTok video)

Timeline

The implication: the timeline shows a compressed recovery that defies typical medical expectations.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

• Ben Askren underwent a double lung transplant in 2023 (Yahoo Sports).
• He lost 50 pounds in 45 days after the transplant, per his own statement (Yahoo Sports).
• Jake Paul and Dana White contributed to medical expenses (Fox News).
• He returned to wrestling in a RAF event in 2024 (ESPN).

What’s unclear

• Exact cause of lung failure – pneumonia vs. other – not officially confirmed (Northeastern University News).
• Long-term prognosis and survival – unknown for any individual transplant recipient.
• Total amount raised from all donors – not publicly disclosed (Help Hope Live).
• Current health status and long-term prognosis after 2024 – not publicly updated.

The distinction between confirmed and unclear helps readers understand the limits of public knowledge.

Summary

Ben Askren’s journey from an Olympic wrestling mat to a hospital bed fighting for his lungs, and back to a competition stage, is not a simple comeback story. It’s a case study in how elite athletes face catastrophic health events without guaranteed financial safety nets. For fighters and wrestlers who lack the institutional support of major league sports leagues, the choice is clear: build a financial and medical safety net before a crisis hits, or rely on the generosity of rivals and strangers—because Askren survived, but the system that caught him doesn’t exist for everyone.

Frequently asked questions

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