Former UFC fighter and Bellator champion Ben Askren is in critical condition after contracting pneumonia. After several reports that Askren was facing a significant health scare due to a staph infection, a Facebook post by his wife, Amy, was shared on social media.
“You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something,” Amy Askren wrote in the Facebook post. “He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly. He’s currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time. We welcome all prayers for healing and for peace. We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully so please refrain from discussing it with them for now.”
Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen also briefly addressed the situation on X, posting, “Ben is alive and prayers are wanted. Family choosing privacy at this time.”
Staphylococcal pneumonia can be a serious condition stemming from a staph infection, though very few details of Askren’s diagnoses or status are known beyond the posts by his wife and Sonnen.
On Thursday, Askren’s family gave an update on his condition in response to conflicting rumors online.
Askren is “definitely still fighting,” his family told TMZ. “He is alive, and any rumor that he has died is completely false.”
Askren, 40, was a Season 2 champion in Bellator before winning the welterweight title in 2010. He would go on to successfully defend that title four times before exiting the promotion still undefeated as a professional.
After a seven-fight stint with ONE FC, Askren was acquired by the UFC in a strange “trade” that saw the UFC send Demetrious Johnson to ONE in exchange. Askren defeated Robbie Lawler before losing fights to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, after which he retired from mixed martial arts.
In 2021, Askren boxed Jake Paul, losing by stoppage in the first round.
He and his wife Amy have three children.
