Ben Askren has never backed down from a fight, but nothing in the cage could have prepared him for what he has been through recently. After nearly two months in the ICU with pneumonia that almost claimed his life, ‘Funky’ is now facing a slower, more grueling opponent: recovery. This time, there’s no referee, no crowd, and no title; only a walker, a hospital corridor, and the hard trek back to living.
In his most recent Instagram video, Askren kept the tone light yet honest. After pushing his walker down a hospital corridor, he told fans, “I did a full lap earlier. I’m not sure if I’m going to do a full lap again. I’m gassed. I can’t [do] more than one lap of walking. It gets me so tired.” Despite his exhaustion, he still saw a silver lining: “That’s progress. Hope you guys do the same with your life.”
Even though he appeared frail and slow, his spirit, the one that earned him the moniker “Funky,” remains intact. It is worth noting that Ben Askren’s journey has been marred not only by the life-threatening nature of his illness but also by the financial realities that came with it. Despite being a multi-promotion MMA veteran, his health insurance was insufficient, forcing him to seek public assistance for a double lung transplant.
Jake Paul stepped in with a $500,000 donation, but the scenario sparked widespread criticism, particularly from boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya. He directly slammed Dana White and the UFC’s fighter pay model, claiming that no fighter should have to beg the public to survive. “They don’t give a f—- about fighters,” De La Hoya stated, citing Askren’s example to highlight the flaws in the existing system.
And now, Ben Askren’s slow, tiring steps are more than just a recovery update; they’re a reminder of how brutal the fight game can be once the gloves are off. He may have dominated in the cage with multiple knockouts and a reputation for toughness, but he’s now showing a different type of toughness, one that comes with every breath, every stride, and every day spent refusing to give up.
Nonetheless, the quiet in some corners of the industry is deafening. If Askren’s name alone isn’t enough to spark systemic change in how fighters are treated when the lights go out, who will? Until then, he continues to trek, fatigued but hopeful, carrying not just his body but also the lessons that came with it all, as ‘Funky’ revealed how “humbling” it all has been for him.
Ben Askren reveals how the lung transplant situation ended up as a humbling experience
After everything he’s been through, Ben Askren isn’t talking about titles or takedowns; he’s talking about pride. In one of his video updates from the hospital, ‘Funky’ explained how this tragedy had changed his life. Just months ago, he was fit and independent. Then followed pneumonia, 59 days in the hospital, a double lung transplant, and now a second hospitalization for infection. But instead of bitterness, Askren found a lesson.
“Before this, I was pretty much totally self-sufficient,” he said. “I didn’t ask for help.” That has changed. He stated that it was difficult to walk and converse without assistance. But he embraced it, utilizing the opportunity to reflect on how unrestrained pride holds people back. “If you acknowledge what your problem is, you can solve it,” Askren added. “If you’re unwilling to acknowledge it, you can’t.”
Even now, Askren’s fight has not ended. He’s stuck in the hospital, exhausted and unsure of when he’ll be released. But he still shows up for every update, lap, and every hard truth. The swagger that once defined ‘Funky’ has given way to something considerably more grounded: a man grappling with limits he never imagined he’d reach and still refusing to back down.
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