Former UFC welterweight and ONE Championship titleholder Ben Askren may have a future in competitive sports after his remarkable recovery from a double lung transplant, according to sports medicine physician Dr. Brian Sutterer.

Askren underwent the life-saving procedure after suffering severe pneumonia and a staph infection that led to lung collapse.
His road to recovery has been closely followed by fans and fellow athletes, with videos showing his steady progress.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Dr. Sutterer offered an optimistic perspective on the idea of Askren returning to competition:

I don’t think it’s crazy at all.

In fact, the sports medicine doctor in me thinks that’s an exciting thought and something that would be really good to have that motivation and inspiration.

However, Dr. Sutterer clarified that the type of competition matters.

While a return to MMA or boxing would pose major health risks, wrestling remains a plausible goal:

Wrestling is not going to be nearly as high risk.

If Askren’s lung and heart function can be objectively tested and proven adequate, there’s no reason he couldn’t return to the mat.

The doctor cautioned that Askren still faces significant hurdles.

Extended hospitalization often causes severe muscle loss, and the bigger question may involve potential nerve or muscle damage:

You lose a lot of muscle mass even after just days of being in a hospital, let alone weeks or months.

Still, he emphasized that competitive motivation could play a vital role in Askren’s recovery:

Assuming they can objectively test his lung and heart function and it’s all up to snuff, I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t.

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