Death knocked four times. Ben Askren answered the door each time and slammed it shut. The former UFC star’s heart stopped beating for twenty seconds on multiple occasions. His body withered to a skeletal 147 pounds. Fifty pounds vanished in just 45 days as his lungs failed him completely.
The wrestling legend and MMA veteran had no memory of his near-death experience. He woke up confused and broken after doctors saved his life with a double lung transplant. Wednesday marked his first public statement since the ordeal began in late May. The fighter who once dominated opponents in the octagon now fought for every breath.
“I Only Died Four Times” – Ben Askren Has A Shocking Recovery Confession
Askren underwent a double lung transplant after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia, but his recovery story reads like a medical thriller. His wife Amy kept detailed journals documenting every terrifying moment while Ben remained largely unconscious. The fighter read through those entries like watching someone else’s nightmare unfold on paper.
The brutal reality hit him hard when he stepped on the scale. His body had cannibalized itself during the fight for survival. The weight loss shocked even him – he hadn’t weighed 147 pounds since his teenage years. Every pound represented a battle his body fought while his mind remained absent from the war zone.
🥺❤️ Ben Askren speaks out for the first time.
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 9, 2025
He saw all of the support 🎥 @Benaskren pic.twitter.com/gwv1Z2WPf1
Askren lost 50 pounds in 45 days and remembers few of the scariest moments in his health saga. His recovery continues as he relearns basic functions and rebuilds his strength. The transplant surgery marked just the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Every day forward represents a gift from the donor family who made his survival possible.
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