Ben Askren’s Return to the Mat: A Year After a Double-Lung Transplant

Former Olympic wrestler and ex-UFC champion Ben Askren will face former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the co-main event of RAF 11 on Saturday in Milwaukee, his hometown. The bout marks Askren’s first competitive wrestling appearance since receiving a double-lung transplant in June 2025 and is billed as his final wrestling match.

Ben Askren returns to wrestling one year after double-lung transplant

After a severe bout of pneumonia in June 2025, Askren was hospitalized for nearly two months, fell into a coma, and ultimately required a double-lung transplant. He spent several months in rehabilitation, often struggling to catch his breath as his body adjusted to the new organs. By late March, he tested his limits in a six-minute match against a high-school opponent, wrestling conservatively to avoid collapse. A subsequent one-year post-transplant check-up cleared him for competition, and his medication regimen has been reduced, allowing him to resume full-time training.

Ben Askren returns to wrestling one year after double-lung transplant

• Ben Askren – Olympic wrestler, former UFC champion, owner of Askren Wrestling Academy.

Ben Askren returns to wrestling one year after double-lung transplant

• Belal Muhammad – Former UFC title contender, making his second RAF appearance after a tech-fall loss at RAF 4.

Chael Sonnen uncomfortable with Ben Askren wrestling return at RAF 11

• Chael Sonnen – RAF matchmaker and color commentator, who expressed mixed feelings about the matchup.

Chael Sonnen uncomfortable with Ben Askren wrestling return at RAF 11

• Reality Based Fighting (RAF) – The promotion hosting the event, streaming on FOX Nation.

Chael Sonnen admits Ben Askren’s wrestling return at RAF 11 ‘makes me uncomfortable’

Askren’s return highlights the potential for organ-transplant recipients to regain high-level athletic performance, offering a visible example for others facing similar medical challenges. The event also underscores the camaraderie within the combat-sports community, as Muhammad’s willingness to step into the ring enabled the storyline. Additionally, the match’s timing on Askren’s birthday adds a personal milestone, reinforcing narratives of resilience and closure.

Ben Askren returns to wrestling one year after double-lung transplant

Askren described his post-transplant life as “almost a bad dream” but emphasized a steady improvement in aerobic capacity, noting weekly gains on the stationary bike and a reduction in medication. He framed the upcoming bout as a simple contest of skill, rejecting any notion that victory would elevate his moral standing. Sonnen acknowledged initial discomfort with the comeback, yet later praised Muhammad’s decision to accept the match, calling him “a stud” and noting that few would have taken the risk. Muhammad has characterized the matchup as a “lose-lose scenario,” but Askren dismissed such framing, reiterating that “it’s just a wrestling match.”

Ben Askren returns to wrestling one year after double-lung transplant

Sonnen’s early unease reflects broader concerns about the health risks of returning to competition so soon after a major transplant. While he ultimately supported the event, his comments illustrate the tension between celebrating medical triumphs and ensuring athlete safety.

Chael Sonnen uncomfortable with Ben Askren wrestling return at RAF 11

• “I’m almost to the point where it seems like a bad dream or something sometimes.” — Ben Askren

Ben Askren admits double-lung transplant almost feels like a ‘bad dream’ now that he’s wrestling again just one year later

• “Your life absolutely changes forever but just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it can’t be great still,” — Ben Askren

Ben Askren admits double-lung transplant almost feels like a ‘bad dream’ now that he’s wrestling again just one year later

• “It’s just a wrestling match,” — Ben Askren

Ben Askren admits double-lung transplant almost feels like a ‘bad dream’ now that he’s wrestling again just one year later

• “It makes me uncomfortable,” — Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen admits Ben Askren’s wrestling return at RAF 11 ‘makes me uncomfortable’

• “I thought, what a stud Belal Muhammad is for taking this,” — Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen admits Ben Askren’s wrestling return at RAF 11 ‘makes me uncomfortable’