Ben Askren returns to hospital in concerning update after double lung transplant at 41
The UFC cult hero, 41, was rushed to the hospital with 'severe pneumonia ' on June 7, and has been documenting his difficult road to recovery since.
Askren was able to return home on July 22, but later shared with fans that he was struggling to lift a five-pound weight due to the amount of strength he had lost.
He also shared a video of him using a stationary bike at hom e on Sunday in an encouraging update.
On Monday, however, Askren shared a sobering development with fans from a hospital bed.
'Well, as you guys can probably tell, I'm not home anymore, unfortunately' he began a video. 'I had my first check up this morning - they didn't like the way the last chest tube looked, thought it was infected.'
Askren added that he had been put on antibiotics and taken for X-rays.
'Hopefully we get this solved, fast... it wasn't always gonna be smooth, it wasn't always gonna be easy, it wasn't always gonna be all the way up,' he said.
'So hopefully this is a small hiccup and then I'm back home, getting stronger again.'
Askren, who previously revealed he 'died four times' before his double lung transplant, said last week that it was 'awesome' to be back at home with his family amid his health struggles.
As he spoke about the strength he had lost, Askren struggled to speak at certain points of video and had to catch his breath.
The former lightweight fighter told fans he was 'feeling strong' before his recent ordeal, as he was curling 45 pounds and doing hill sprints.
Last month, Askren's wife, Amy, shared that Askren had undergone the life-saving double lung transplant.
'We are forever thankful to the donor and his family,' she announced. 'This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift.
Update #6- not all sunshine and rainbows. pic.twitter.com/lGbyYhxYID
— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) July 28, 2025
'It still doesn't feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly.
Askren first made a name for himself in the college ranks, as he became a two-time D1 champion with the University of Missouri.
He also participated in the 2008 Olympics and put together an impressive decade-long undefeated streak, winning world titles in Bellator and ONE before making the jump to UFC in 2019.
He defeated Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut but then suffered losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before announcing his retirement from MMA.
He briefly returned to fighting briefly in 2021 when he boxed against Jake Paul, losing to the social media star via TKO.
Askren married his wife in 2010 and they share three children, two daughters and a son.
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