Former MMA fighter Ben Askren is seriously ill – after an eventful career, he was just planning his comeback.
There is great concern for former UFC star Ben Askren: the MMA fighter from the US has apparently been admitted to hospital in critical condition.
As his wife Amy Askren confirmed in a Facebook post, the 40-year-old is suffering from severe pneumonia that came on “very suddenly.”
“He is in the hospital and is currently unable to respond to anything,” Amy Askren wrote: “We appreciate all your prayers for healing and peace. We are trying to keep our children’s lives as normal as possible and are doing our best to support them, so we ask that you refrain from talking to them about this for now.”
Wrestling insider Pat Mineo also reports that the ailing fighter is battling a staph infection.
Askren has had an eventful career
Askren was once considered one of the best fighters in the welterweight division. He became world champion in both the MMA organization Bellator and ONE Championship, winning all of his fights. His later move to the UFC was less successful, where he lost two of three fights.
He had already made a name for himself as a college wrestler. In 2008, he competed for the US team at the Olympic Games. His unorthodox fighting style in the MMA cage earned him the nickname “Funky.”
Askren also made headlines with two defeats. First, he suffered the fastest knockout in UFC history. Jorge Masvidal knocked him out with a flying knee, ending the fight after just five seconds.
He also fought YouTuber Jake Paul as a boxer and was knocked out in the first round.
He hadn’t fought in about six years. He joined Real American Freestyle Wrestling just a month ago. He apparently wanted to make his comeback with Hulk Hogan’s company.
