Ben Askren, the former MMA champion and Olympic wrestler, has undergone a double lung transplant after being hospitalized with a sudden and severe case of pneumonia and staph infection.
The update was shared by his wife, Amy Askren, in a heartfelt Facebook post that confirmed the successful procedure and expressed gratitude to the donor and medical team:
We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant.
We are forever thankful to the donor and his family.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.
Askren’s condition deteriorated rapidly in late May 2025, leading to his placement on advanced life support including a ventilator and ECMO.
He was soon listed for a transplant, as his health continued to worsen:
So much can change so quickly.
Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own.I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now.
I can’t wait to tell Ben all about it. I’m hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off.
Askren, 40, was initially hospitalized after developing pneumonia that doctors traced back to a staph infection.
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