Mixed martial arts veteran Ben Askren is currently hospitalized and reported to be unresponsive after being diagnosed with severe pneumonia.
The former standout in both MMA and wrestling is widely known for coming out of retirement in 2021 for a boxing match against Jake Paul.
Askren, a former Olympian, had an active career in MMA spanning over a decade.
News regarding his hospitalization surfaced on Saturday night during the UFC 316 event.
Known by his nickname “Funky,” Askren has not competed in combat sports since his exhibition bout with Paul approximately four years ago.
However, he remains a highly respected figure in the wrestling community, regarded by many as one of the greatest grapplers of all time.
The 40-year-old is specifically battling a sudden and severe case of pneumonia.
His wife, Amy, provided a heartfelt update on his condition via social media, stating that Ben is in the hospital and currently unable to respond. She requested prayers for his recovery and for peace for their family, and asked that friends and supporters avoid discussing the situation with their children at this time to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Following the news, members of the fighting community and fans quickly shared messages of support and prayers online. Former UFC champion Henry Cejudo was among those who sent well wishes, and numerous fans posted encouraging comments, acknowledging Askren`s significant contributions to wrestling and MMA.
Askren`s journey in combat sports began early, starting wrestling at the age of six. He went on to have a distinguished college wrestling career at the University of Missouri, where he achieved two-time D1 national champion status.
He represented the United States as part of the wrestling team at the 2008 Olympics.
After his Olympic appearance, he transitioned into mixed martial arts.
In his MMA career, he compiled an impressive record of 19 wins from 22 professional fights. His first professional loss famously came via a five-second flying knee knockout by Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239.
His highly publicized boxing match against YouTuber Jake Paul in 2021 drew significant attention and was reported to generate around 500,000 pay-per-view buys. Paul secured the victory by TKO in the first round, just under two minutes into the fight.
Elton Marrow