In the world of mixed martial arts, where fighters are known for their grit and unbreakable spirits, few stories capture the imagination quite like that of Ben Askren. The former UFC welterweight, Olympic wrestler, and outspoken personality had always been a force to reckon with—until a rare, debilitating lung condition sidelined him in late 2024. Doctors diagnosed him with advanced pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lung tissue that left him gasping for air during even the lightest training sessions.
What followed was a harrowing journey that culminated in a groundbreaking double lung transplant, a procedure so risky that only a handful of athletes had ever attempted it. It all started when Askren, at 41, noticed his endurance plummeting. “I was in the gym, drilling takedowns, and suddenly I felt like I was breathing through a straw,” he later recounted in a viral podcast interview. Refusing to bow out quietly, he sought out specialists at the Mayo Clinic, where tests revealed both lungs were irreparably damaged from years of intense training, exposure to mat cleaners, and perhaps even the lingering effects of a brutal knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal back in 2019.
The verdict was clear: without a transplant, his days in the sport—and possibly his life—were numbered. The surgery took place in February 2025, a grueling 12-hour ordeal involving a donor match from a young athlete who had tragically passed in a climbing accident. Askren woke up in the ICU with a chest crisscrossed by incisions, tubes snaking from his body, and a profound sense of vulnerability. “I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself,” he admitted. “Skinny, scarred, hooked up to machines—it was like staring at a ghost of the Funky Ben Askren everyone knew.” Recovery was brutal: months of immunosuppression drugs that left him prone to infections, endless physical therapy to rebuild basic strength, and the mental toll of wondering if he’d ever step on a mat again.
But Askren, true to his wrestling roots, turned adversity into fuel. He documented every step on social media, sharing raw, unfiltered updates from his hospital bed to his home gym. Fans watched as he graduated from bedridden walks to light cardio, then to shadowboxing with oxygen tanks nearby. “This isn’t just about lungs,” he posted in one emotional video. “It’s about reclaiming my life, my fire.” Nutritionists tailored a high-protein regimen to combat muscle loss, while trainers adapted workouts to his fragile state—focusing on isometric holds, yoga for breathing control, and gradual resistance training.
The miracle unfolded over the next eight months. By October 2025, Askren unveiled his transformation in a stunning before-and-after photo series that exploded across X and Instagram. The “before” shot showed him post-surgery: gaunt, bandaged, with fresh scars mapping his torso like battle lines. The “after” was pure inspiration—a ripped, vascular physique flexing in his signature wrestling stance, curls wild as ever, in a gym emblazoned with motivational banners. “Double lung transplant? More like double the comeback,” he captioned it, tagging it with #FunkyReborn.
Experts called it miraculous. His new lungs, combined with cutting-edge stem cell therapy to accelerate healing, allowed him to train at intensities he hadn’t reached in years. “Ben’s case is rewriting the book on athletic recovery,” said Dr. Elena Vargas, his lead surgeon. “His discipline turned a survival story into a superhero origin.” Askren didn’t stop at personal triumph; he launched the “Breathe Strong” foundation, raising funds for transplant patients and advocating for organ donation in combat sports.
Today, in early 2026, Askren is back coaching at his Academy of Wrestling in Wisconsin, hinting at a potential exhibition match. “I went through hell to get these lungs,” he says with that trademark grin. “Now, they’re taking me to new heights.” His story isn’t just about physical transformation—it’s a testament to resilience, proving that even when life knocks the wind out of you, you can fight back harder than ever.
