UFC fighter who 'died four times' announces shock comeback a year on from near fatal illness

Former UFC star Ben Askren is set to make an unlikely comeback a year after he almost died due to complications related to a staph infection.

Askren, 42, who had three UFC fights before retiring in 2019, contracted a staph infection in 2025 before the condition developed into pneumonia.

This meant the American underwent a double lung transplant, having been placed on a ventilator.

Speaking via Instagram last year, Askren detailed how the illness caused him to lose more than three and a half stone in just 45 days while explaining how he had “no recollection” of what happened to him after contracting pneumonia. He was also placed into a coma for 37 days.

"No recollection, zero idea, no idea what happened," he said.

"I just read through my wife's journal. It's like a movie. It's ridiculous. I only died four times, where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds."

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Despite his health struggles, against all odds, the 42-year-old, who also took part in a boxing match against Jake Paul, losing by first-round knockout, will return to combat sports on his 43rd birthday.

Askren will face ex-UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in an event put on by Real American Freestyle (RAF) on July 18, with the contest set to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"A year ago today I was begging the nurses to let me go home for my birthday because I had been stuck in a hospital room for 50 or so days," he said.

"They refused to let me go home because I couldn't stand up or go to the bathroom under my own power."

After explaining how the fight will be a one-off event, he added: "When RAF told me they were coming to Milwaukee on 18 July, which is my birthday and my hometown, something spoke to me and said I need to wrestle.

"My perception of mortality and life has changed significantly from the events of the last year.

"I know this is some of these guys' lives, and they're worried about winning and losing tomorrow.

"I get to go wrestle. That's it for me. I am so happy."

Askren is widely considered one of the greatest American wrestlers of his generation, having represented the US at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The fighter also underwent a hip replacement in 2020.

Ben Askren on life after double lung transplant

Speaking to MMA Fighting earlier this week, Askren outlined how life has been since his health issues.

“It really is [crazy],” he said.

“I’m almost to the point where it seems like a bad dream or something sometimes. I feel like I’m just me now. Obviously, I take medicine every day, and there’s still some limitations that I can’t forget about, but I do find myself feeling more and more normal. At points, it does just seem like a terrible dream.”