Former UFC welterweight and Olympic wrestler Ben Askren is proving that even a life-threatening health crisis can’t keep him away from the sport he loves. During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Askren revealed that despite his ongoing recovery from a double lung transplant, he’s already back to coaching — setting up wrestling mats in his garage and conducting private sessions with young wrestlers.
“I got some mats in my garage and kids come over to privates,”
Askren shared, explaining that this new arrangement started just a few weeks ago. The revelation came as part of a broader discussion about how the famously active MMA star and coach is adapting to his dramatically altered lifestyle following his near-death experience this summer.
Askren‘s health ordeal began in late May with what he initially believed was a routine back spasm — something he’d experienced multiple times throughout his wrestling career. However, what started as back pain during a pool gathering with friends quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation. A small staph infection on his elbow had somehow entered his bloodstream and spread to his lungs, causing necrotizing pneumonia that would ultimately require emergency double lung transplant surgery.
“I remember walking in” to the Vegas hospital, Askren recalled. “I don’t remember anything else”
until waking up around July 2nd with two new lungs. The former Olympian spent weeks in a medically induced coma, with doctors fighting to keep him alive as his condition deteriorated rapidly.
Now, months into his recovery, Askren is slowly rebuilding his life while dealing with significant physical limitations. He’s gained weight from his lowest point of 138 pounds and can walk and drive independently though his energy levels remain severely compromised.
“I just don’t have the energy,”
he explained.
“Today I’ve felt really good and I’ve done a bunch of things, but that means I’ll probably crash tonight, right? And I’ll maybe feel s****y tomorrow.”
The garage wrestling sessions represent both Askren‘s determination to stay connected to the sport and his adaptation to new physical realities. As someone who was preparing to compete again and was deeply involved in high-level coaching, being confined to limited activities has been one of the most challenging aspects of his recovery. He’s immunocompromised and can’t be around large crowds, making traditional gym coaching impossible.
Despite the dramatic changes to his life, Askren maintains his characteristic positive outlook.
“I always said fighting or wrestling losses never really bothered me. I saw them as an opportunity to get better, an opportunity to improve,”
he said, applying the same mindset to his health battle.
The wrestling community’s support has been overwhelming, with the U.S. national team even wearing his initials on their gear. Thousands of people donated to a medical fund, and friends and former competitors, including Jake Paul and Dana White, contributed significantly to his recovery expenses.
While doctors have given him hope that he could potentially return to high levels of physical activity — citing examples of lung transplant patients who’ve run marathons — Askren acknowledges he’ll likely never wrestle competitively again. For now, those garage sessions with young wrestlers represent both his connection to his past and his path forward, proving that even in the face of life-altering circumstances, his passion for developing the next generation of grapplers remains undiminished.
