Latest news with #BenAskren
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren hospitalized with severe pneumonia
The Brief Ben Askren is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and is currently unresponsive, according to his wife. Amy Askren asked for prayers and requested privacy, especially regarding their children. Askren is a former MMA champion and now focuses on wrestling coaching and podcasting. Former UFC star Ben Askren is currently hospitalized with severe pneumonia "unable to respond" to treatment, according to his wife. What they're saying "You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something," Amy Askren posted on Facebook. "He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly." "He's currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time," she continued. What you can do Amy said she's asking for prayers for healing and peace. She also asks people to refrain from discussing the matter with their children. The backstory According to FOX Sports, Askren, 40, is from Wisconsin. According to MMA Fighting, at his peak, Askren was seen as one of the best welterweight fighters after winning championships in both Bellator and ONE Championship. He later joined the UFC in a rare deal where ONE traded him for Demetrious Johnson. Askren's UFC career ended with a 1-2 record, including a debut win over Robbie Lawler followed by losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. A few weeks after the Maia fight, he announced his retirement from MMA but later returned for a boxing match against Jake Paul, which ended in a first-round knockout loss—his only boxing appearance. Since then, Askren has mainly focused on coaching wrestling in his home state of Wisconsin while also staying involved in MMA coverage, including co-hosting a podcast with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, according to the outlet. The Source The information in this story comes from a Facebook post by Ben Askren's wife, Amy Askren, who shared an update on his health, stating he is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and currently unresponsive. Additional background details about Askren's career were reported by FOX Sports and MMA Fighting, which highlighted his achievements in Bellator and ONE Championship, his brief UFC tenure, and his post-fighting career in coaching and media. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ben Askren in Critical Condition as MMA and Wrestling Fans Rally in Support
Ben Askren in Critical Condition as MMA and Wrestling Fans Rally in Support originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Long after fighters leave the cage or mat, health risks can persist—and sometimes escalate. While much of the spotlight is often on what happens during a career, life out of competition brings its own challenges. Today, a former UFC competitor is receiving widespread support as he navigates a serious health issue outside the arena. Advertisement Ben Askren, 40, is a former UFC welterweight, Olympic wrestler, and professional boxer who also faced Jake Paul in a high-profile bout. According to wrestling coach and commentator MrPatMineo, founder of The Wrestling Room—who posted an update on X, formerly known as Twitter—Askren is currently in critical condition due to a severe staph infection. The post read: OctagonGetty 'Wrestling community, we need to pray for and rally around @BenAskren who is in critical condition and battling a severe staph infection.' Former UFC fighter and analyst Chael Sonnen also shared a message on X: 'Ben is alive and prayers are wanted. Family choosing privacy at this time.' The situation has prompted numerous responses from MMA and wrestling fans, many offering messages of support including: 'C'mon @BenAskren don't stop fighting,' 'Sending megatons of prayers,' 'Get well soon @BenAskren.' Askren's run in the UFC included a notable debut win over Robbie Lawler and a distinct grappling-based style that earned him recognition within the sport. Ben AskrenGetty Images As updates remain limited, the broader combat sports world continues to monitor the situation and extend support while respecting the family's request for privacy and continued discretion. Advertisement Related: 'Leave If You're Not Ready to Defend' – Dricus Du Plessis Slammed Over Refusal to Face Backup Opponent Related: UFC Coach Hints at Major Comeback for Francis Ngannou This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
17 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Ben Askren's wife reveals ex-UFC star hospitalized with severe pneumonia
Ben Askren, a former UFC star and Olympic wrestler, has been hospitalized with severe pneumonia, his wife announced on social media. 'You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something,' Amy Askren wrote on Facebook. 'He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly. He's currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time. We welcome all prayers for healing and peace.' According to CBS News, the former Bellator welterweight champion, developed the infection after originally being diagnosed with a staph infection. His wife released her statement as rumors swirled within the MMA community. 4 Ben Askren enters the ring against Ben Askren for their cruiserweight bout during Triller Fight Club at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 17, 2021. Getty Images for Triller 4 Ben Askren pictured with his wife Amy and one of his two daughters. Instagram @amyaskren1 Amy Askren requested privacy from the public for their family. The couple has been married since April 2010 and share three children together: daughters Alex and Andy, along with son Ozi. The family lives in Wisconsin. Amy also thanked her followers for sending 'prayers for healing and for peace' during the difficult time. 'We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our [three] children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully so please refrain from discussing it with them for now,' she explained. Askren, who holds a 19-2 record in MMA, retired from the UFC in 2019. 4 Ben Askren (l.) fights Demian Maia (r.) at UFC Fight Night in Singapore on Oct. 26, 2019. Zuffa LLC via Getty Images The 40-year-old was a two-time NCAA Division I champion in wrestling at the University of Missouri. He concluded his collegiate career with a 153-8 record, which made him the winningest and most decorated wrestler in the university's history. Askren was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. He also won welterweight titles in Bellator MMA and One Championship before making the transition to the UFC in the later part of his career in 2019. 4 Jake Paul fights Ben Askren in their cruiserweight bout during Triller Fight Club at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images for Triller He went 1-2 during his time in the UFC, with his sole victory against former champion Robbie Lawler. He also lost a highly publicized boxing match against Jake Paul in April 2021.
Fox News
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Ex-MMA star Ben Askren battling 'severe pneumonia' in hospital, wife says
Ben Askren, a former mixed martial arts competitor who fought in the Olympics and UFC, was hospitalized recently with a severe illness, his wife said in a post on social media. Amy Askren revealed that her husband was fighting off a sickness in a post on Facebook on Saturday. "You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something. He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly," she wrote. "He's currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time. "We welcome all prayers for healing and for peace. We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully so please refrain from discussing it with them for now." Ben Askren recently signed with Real American Freestyle – the Hulk Hogan venture hoping to popularize professional freestyle wrestling. Askren, 40, was an NCAA champion in the 170-pound division in 2006 and 2007 and went on to compete for Team USA in the 2008 Olympics. He won gold medals in the 2005 Pan American Championships and the 2009 World Championships. He made his full transition to MMA fighting when he debuted in Bellator in 2010. He then competed in ONE Championship before taking on UFC. He defeated Robbie Lawler via submission at UFC 235 before he lost to Jorge Masvidal in a high-profile bout. In 2021, he fought Jake Paul in a boxing match. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former UFC Fighter Ben Askren, 40, Hospitalized with ‘Severe Pneumonia' and ‘Unable to Respond,' Wife Amy Says
Ben Askren is in hospital with "severe pneumonia," his wife Amy announced in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 7 The retired MMA fighter and UFC competitor is currently 'unable to respond to anything" The health scare comes after Ben recently signed to the wrestling promotion company Real American Freestyle and was scheduled to participate in more fights this fallBen Askren has been hospitalized with a severe illness. On Saturday, June, 7, Ben's wife Amy announced in a Facebook post that the former MMA fighter, 40, is currently in hospital after developing 'severe pneumonia.' She asked for prayers as Ben is currently not responsive to treatment. 'You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something,' Amy wrote. 'He developed severe pneumonia, which came on very suddenly. He's currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time.' 'We welcome all prayers for healing and for peace. We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully so please refrain from discussing it with them for now,' concluded the post. Ben and Amy have been married since 2010 and share three children, according to ESPN. Amy's post was shared after wrestling insider Pat Mineo posted about Ben's condition on X Saturday. 'Wrestling community, we need to pray for and rally around @BenAskren who is in critical condition and battling a severe staph infection 🙏🏻,' wrote Mineo, adding, 'He is also battling severe pneumonia, prayers needed!!!' During his MMA career, Ben achieved 12 consecutive MMA wins and won welterweight titles in Bellator MMA and One Championship, before retiring from the sport in 2019. The former MMA champion was also a member of Team USA in the 2008 Olympics, per ESPN and BVM Sports. In 2019, the two-time NCAA wrestling champion transitioned into UFC and in his debut fight, secured a record 1-2 victory over Robbie Lawler, per BVM Sports. In 2021, Askren fought against Jake Paul in the social media star's third career match for which he earned $690,000, according to CBS Sports. Paul, 28, defeated Askren in a technical knockout one minute and 59 seconds into the first round. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ben's illness comes a month after he announced in a video posted on Instagram that he had signed with the new wrestling promotion company Real American Freestyle, co-founded by retired WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. 'I just finished signing my Real American Freestyle contract,' Ben said. 'I've been waiting to wrestle. I kind of miss competition. I love fighting but I don't have time for that anymore … I'm going to whip some of these young whippersnappers, show them what the f--- it's all about.' The former MMA champion noted in the clip that he is excited to participate in more fights under the company in the fall. PEOPLE has reached out to Ben's representatives for comment. Read the original article on People
