🧬 Ben’s Early Life & Wrestling Origins.
Born July 18, 1984, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Askren grew up in Wisconsin under the guidance of his dad, Chuck, who introduced him to wrestling by age six.
Excelled at Arrowhead High School, winning two state titles, then continued at the University of Missouri, where he became a two-time NCAA Division I champion and three-time Big 12 champion, earning him two Hodge Trophies .
Competed internationally in freestyle wrestling—Pan Ams gold (2005), World gold (2009)—before representing Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
MMA Career & Combat Style.
- Transitioned to MMA around 2009; joined Bellator, winning four welterweight titles before moving to ONE Championship, where he remained undefeated.
- Signed with the UFC in 2019; debuted with a controversial stoppage win over Robbie Lawler, then suffered a 5-second KO loss to Jorge Masvidal (fastest KO in UFC history) and a submission loss to Demian Maia, retiring later that year.
- Briefly ventured into boxing in April 2021, facing Jake Paul in Atlanta, losing by first-round TKO in a fight that drew ~500,000 PPV buys,
👨👩👧👦 Ben Askren Personal Life & Passions
- Married to Amy since 2010; the couple has three children.
- Outside combat sports, Askren shines in disc golf—ranked among top amateurs in the 2009 Amateur World Championships—and is sponsored by Discraft Wikipedia.
- Interests also include cryptocurrency investing. He’s shared publicly that he’s not religious.
💔 Ben Askren Recent Health Journey & Recovery
In early June 2025, Askren was hospitalized in Wisconsin with severe staph-induced pneumonia, placed on a ventilator and ECMO by June 17, and added to the double-lung transplant list on June 24.
Underwent a successful double lung transplant on June 30, with his wife Amy sharing emotional posts including notes from loved ones in his hospital room.
In his own video update on July 9, he revealed a dramatic ordeal:
- His heart flatlined four times, each lasting ~20 seconds.
- Lost approximately 50 lbs in 45 days—he weighed in at 147 lbs, a weight he hadn’t seen since age 15.
- Has no memory from May 28 to July 2, later relieved by journaling from his wife.
His recovery continues to be closely followed—with the biggest risk still those first critical days post-surgery .