Ben Askren leaves fans stunned with new video of his recovery after life-or-death double lung transplant at 41
Askren was seen in a video playing frisbee golf with fellow former UFC fighter Daniel Cormier in his backyard.
Askren was shirtless and using a walker to keep himself up, but managed to toss his frisbee far while Cormier was seen helplessly trying to match his throw.
The former fighter also filmed a video of himself sitting in a chair outside while discussing the UFC's events over the weekend.
Fans of Askren celebrated his recovery so far, with many noting how much better he looks and sounds compared to a few months before.
'It's nice to see you up and moving around,' read one comment on X, formerly Twitter.
Another wrote, 'I've never rooted for an athlete harder. You are an inspiration Ben'.
'You look and sound better already!,' wrote one fan on Instagram. Another comment read, 'Looks like you are getting some sun! You sound awesome, looking great, keep going forward. All the prayers!'
It's been a rough summer for the 41-year-old, who said he 'flatlined' four times and lost 50 pounds due to his battle with the illness - which required an intense procedure.
Askren was able to return home on July 22, but later shared with fans that he was struggling to lift a five-pound weight due to the amount of strength he had lost.
He also shared a video of him using a stationary bike at home on Sunday in an encouraging update.
At the end of July, Askren shared a sobering development with fans from a hospital bed.
'Well, as you guys can probably tell, I'm not home anymore, unfortunately' he began a video. 'I had my first check up this morning - they didn't like the way the last chest tube looked, thought it was infected.'
'Well, as you guys can probably tell, I'm not home anymore, unfortunately' he began a video. 'I had my first check up this morning - they didn't like the way the last chest tube looked, thought it was infected.'
Askren added that he had been put on antibiotics and taken for X-rays.
'Hopefully we get this solved, fast... it wasn't always gonna be smooth, it wasn't always gonna be easy, it wasn't always gonna be all the way up,' he said.
'So hopefully this is a small hiccup and then I'm back home, getting stronger again.'
Askren, who previously revealed he 'died four times' before his double lung transplant, said last week that it was 'awesome' to be back at home with his family amid his health struggles.
As he spoke about the strength he had lost, Askren struggled to speak at certain points of video and had to catch his breath.
The former lightweight fighter told fans he was 'feeling strong' before his recent ordeal, as he was curling 45 pounds and doing hill sprints.
Last month, Askren's wife, Amy, shared that Askren had undergone the life-saving double lung transplant.
'We are forever thankful to the donor and his family,' she announced. '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. So much can change so quickly.
Askren first made a name for himself in the college ranks, as he became a two-time D1 champion with the University of Missouri.
He also participated in the 2008 Olympics and put together an impressive decade-long undefeated streak, winning world titles in Bellator and ONE before making the jump to UFC in 2019.
He defeated Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut but then suffered losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before announcing his retirement from MMA.
He briefly returned to fighting briefly in 2021 when he boxed against Jake Paul, losing to the social media star via TKO.
Askren married his wife in 2010 and they share three children, two daughters and a son.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
White Sox, Braves to conclude wild series
August 20 - It hasn't always been pretty, but this week's series between the visiting Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves has proved to be entertaining. The teams will meet again Wednesday night in the rubber match of a three-game series after Atlanta rallied from a six-run deficit to win 11-10 on Tuesday. Michael Harris II and Jurickson Profar each hit a two-run homer for Atlanta, which has won nine of its last 11 games. Profar has four homers in his last three games, while Harris is riding a 12-game hitting streak. Harris is batting .471 (24-for-51) with 10 extra-base hits and 17 RBIs during the streak. "He's been unbelievable," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Harris. "Just what he's doing, the consistency, and how he kind of found what he's doing has been awesome to see." Atlanta's win came after Chicago recorded season highs in runs and hits (19) in a 13-9 victory in the series opener on Monday. The White Sox scored 10 runs on Tuesday but fell short after the Braves rallied from a 10-4 deficit by scoring a total of seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Kyle Teel homered for the second straight game and drove in four runs for the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in their last six games. "I thought we did a lot of good things," Teel said. "Hit the ball really well. And sometimes it just happens. I don't think anyone is happy about this. This stinks. You just have to think what's next. We have a game tomorrow, and that's what we are focused on." Atlanta will send right-hander Hurston Waldrep (3-0, 1.02 ERA) to the mound in the series finale against Chicago left-hander Martin Perez (1-2, 3.09). Waldrep continued to be impressive with six scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. He allowed two hits and struck out seven. The 23-year-old has allowed a total of two runs over three appearances (two starts) covering 17 2/3 innings since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Aug. 2. "He's a different guy than what I remember last year," Snitker said. "He's not having to pitch at 98 (mph) to be effective. His command's a lot better. There's a lot of really good stuff to like." Waldrep is set to make his first appearance against the White Sox. Perez, 30, returned from the 60-day injured list last Wednesday and allowed one run over 3 1/3 innings in relief during a 1-0 loss to Detroit. Making his first appearance since exiting his start on April 18 against Boston due to a flexor strain, Perez threw 40 of his 66 pitches for strikes. "I was so nervous in that first inning," Perez said. "I don't know if you guys see it. It was good to be back after almost four months, to be back on the mound and compete again." Ozzie Albies is 7-for-9 with two homers against Perez, who is 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA in three career starts vs. Atlanta. Chicago is monitoring the status of rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery, who is listed as day-to-day after sitting out Tuesday's game with soreness in his left side. --Field Level Media
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Olympic legend sparks furious fan backlash after claiming she is 'all for' male cheerleaders in the NFL
The addition of male cheerleaders to a dozen or so NFL team dance squads in recent years has outraged some who see the move as a ' woke ' attempt at 'virtue signaling' within a traditionally feminine space. Legendary British swimmer and Olympic silver medalist Sharron Davies has used similar language to criticize transgender athletes' participation in women's sports, but she sees the cheerleading issue in the NFL much differently. 'I'm all for this,' the 62-year-old broadcaster wrote on X. 'Us females cannot have it every which way, if we want equality it must go both ways.' Davies then referenced the World Aquatics Championships' recent inclusion of male competitors in what had been an all-female sport. 'Absolutely great to see male cheerleaders & recently male synchronised swimmers at our world champs,' Davies continued. 'Respect & opportunity to be as feminine or masculine as you want in safety.' Often an ally of conservatives on gender issues in sports, Davies was criticized by followers for her stance on male cheerleaders. Many kept it simple with one-word responses ('No,' 'barf,' etc.) while one person used the issue to reignite the debate on women's suffrage: 'This is exactly why we should never have given women the right to vote.' Another critic warned Davies against arguing 'if you don't let them dance they'll think they have to transition' — possibly a misguided reference to Davies' follow-up post: 'I'd much rather this than suggest this guy has to take cross sex hormones, remove body parts & ruin his health to fit a stupid out of date narrow regressive stereotype,' Davies wrote. 'Sex does not change but we're all unique & can celebrate that.' The responses varied, with many supporting Davies. Several people explained that male cheerleaders are nothing new, while many others simply voiced an encouraging message, such as: 'Let him dance!' There were also some homophobic responses: 'Why do they have to be gay??? It doesn't belong in football.' The Vikings recently added Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn to the cheer squad. There has been some uproar over their inclusion on the team, but the Vikings have since defended their position in a statement. 'While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,' the statement read. 'In 2025, approximately one-third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. 'Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.' The debate over male cheerleaders recently hit Fox News, where Will Cain called for his former co-host and current U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to weigh in on the matter. The lighthearted suggestion was met with laughter on Fox News' Saturday Night With Jimmy Failla, where both the guest and host earnestly objected to men dancing with female cheerleaders. 'A good third of the league is focusing, perhaps, on the wrong thing,' Cain said, alluding to the number of teams with coed dance teams. But Cain wasn't blasting all male cheerleaders. The native Texan did give a 10-gallon hat tip college cheer teams, which have traditionally included men. 'I don't have anything against male cheerleaders,' he began. 'The Texas A&M Aggies have been doing this for decades,' he continued, playfully making the hook'em hand gesture of the rival Texas Longhorns. 'There have been male cheerleaders around a long time.' The problem, as Cain sees it, is that the NFL's male cheerleaders are more dancers than the burly guys who spend Saturdays throwing their female counterparts through the air. 'There is something different than what is going on in the NFL,' Cain said, arriving at his point. 'And if we're really being honest, we're talking about male cheerleaders being female cheerleaders. That's what's happening with these men who are cheering on the Minnesota Vikings.' Failla agreed saying 'this is not good.' Since Hegseth is a Minneapolis native and diehard Vikings fan, Cain naturally thought the defense secretary might be able to get involved. 'I do know somebody who is a Minnesota Vikings fan, and I imagine he had a pretty big hand in those B-52s flying over Vladimir Putin's head today in Alaska,' Cain said, referring to Donald Trump's brief meting with the Russian President. 'So I don't know, maybe we need to call the Secretary of Defense.'
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
Yankees aim to ride home-run barrage into rematch vs. Rays
August 20 - The New York Yankees will look to complete a sweep of their five-game road trip Wednesday night when they visit the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of their two-game series. Even a weather delay of almost two hours was not enough to slow the Yankees, who matched a team record with nine homes in Tuesday's 13-3 thumping of Tampa Bay. New York also hit nine homers on March 29 in a 20-9 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. On Tuesday, manager Aaron Boone watched from the Yankees' dugout as his squad produced three consecutive deep shots by Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning. Bellinger, Stanton and Jose Caballero each went deep twice for the Yankees. "We hit nine? Wow," Boone replied incredulously. ... "Just a really impressive offensive showing against a team that obviously is not always easy to score runs against." The Rays did little right in losing for the eighth time in 12 games against the Yankees this season. Manager Kevin Cash's club was outhit 16-8, allowed its most runs this season, and did not retire the first two Yankees in an inning until the eighth. "It's certainly a game you'd like to move past as quick as possible," Cash said. "I think you have to credit the Yankees' lineup. ... But disheartening is a good way to describe this (loss)." In the finale, the Rays will roll out staff ace Drew Rasmussen, who has been consistently excellent even when his squad around him struggled to score. Pitching in mostly five- and six-inning starts, Rasmussen (10-5, 2.60 ERA) has crafted stellar outings: Fourteen of his 24 games have featured the right-hander allowing either one earned run or none at all. August has been the best month thus far for Rasmussen, who is 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA and a ridiculously low 0.635 WHIP. In his previous road start against the Yankees on July 28, he earned the win in a 4-2 decision by throwing five innings of two-run ball despite missing the strike zone early. "Anytime Ras, whatever lineup he's facing ... we'll feel good about it," Cash said before Tuesday's long-ball display. "He's put together a really solid season. He's been dominant here at certain points." Rasmussen, who has wins in his past four decisions, is 3-1 with an 0.85 ERA in six career appearances (five starts) against New York. The Yankees will counter with right-hander Cam Schlittler, who is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in an impressive beginning to his career over six starts. In his lone career appearance against the Rays, Schlittler was matched up against Rasmussen in the Yankees' 4-2 loss and surrendered three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings and walked four. Tampa Bay All-Star Junior Caminero ripped a two-run homer off the Walpole, Mass., native to set the tone in the first inning. --Field Level Media
