Former MMA Star Ben Askren Receives Double Lung Transplant As Wife Says Everyday Is A 'Gift'

Former national champion wrestler and well-known mixed martial artist Ben Askren has received a double lung transplant, according to his wife. The 40-year-old has been hospitalized all month while battling severe pneumonia.

In a social media post on June 8, Askren's wife, Amy, shared that he was "unable to respond to anything at this point in time." According to CBS Sports, Askren developed pneumonia after originally being diagnosed with a staph infection. 

Ben Askren's wife has provided an update about the former MMA star's health battle. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Amy has been sharing updates throughout Askren's journey in the hospital, and expressed gratitude on Monday while sharing that he had received a double lung transplant.

According to her post, Askren had been placed on the donor list on June 24, and as of June 17, he had been on ventilator support.

"We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant," Amy wrote on Facebook. "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 five weeks ago. 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."

Amy concluded her post on Facebook by being hopeful that Ben would be able to share the next update himself.

Askren was an NCAA champion in the 170-pound division in 2006 and 2007 while at the University of Missouri, where he was teammates with future UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Michael Chandler.

Askren, who represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics, retired from the UFC in 2019 while holding a 19-2 record in MMA.