Former UFC fighter Ben Askren, known for his remarkable career in UFC, Bellator MMA, and ONE Championship, is currently facing a critical health challenge. He has been hospitalized due to severe pneumonia, a condition that struck suddenly and has left him unable to respond. The situation was made public through a heartfelt Facebook post by his wife, Amy Askren.
“You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something,”
Amy shared on social media.
“He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly. He’s currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time.”
She requested support in the form of prayers for Ben’s healing and peace during this difficult time. Despite the gravity of the situation, the family is striving to maintain normalcy for their children amidst these trying circumstances.
Another former UFC fighter, Chael Sonnen, also touched upon Ben’s condition with a message urging for prayers while emphasizing the family’s need for privacy at this delicate juncture.
Staphylococcal pneumonia can be a severe complication arising from a staph infection; however, specific details regarding Askren’s diagnosis and prognosis remain undisclosed beyond the updates provided by his wife and Sonnen.
In his illustrious career as an MMA athlete, Askren clinched several accolades such as being crowned Season 2 champion in Bellator along with securing the welterweight title in 2010. He went on to defend this title successfully four times before leaving the promotion with an unblemished professional record.
After competing in seven fights with ONE FC, Askren made headlines when he joined UFC through an unconventional “trade” deal involving Demetrious Johnson moving to ONE Championship. Notably, he achieved victory against Robbie Lawler but faced defeats against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before deciding to retire from mixed martial arts competition.
In 2021, Ben Askren ventured into boxing whereby he squared off against Jake Paul only to suffer a stoppage loss within just one round. Throughout his journey in combat sports, Ben has been supported by his loving wife Amy along with their three children who stand as pillars of strength during this challenging period.
