Ben Askren's wife provides positive update as ex-UFC star has received double lung transplant

Ben Askren's wife Amy has provided a positive update after the former UFC star underwent a double lung transplant.

Earlier this month, the American was rushed to hospital after contracting pneumonia as a result of a staph infection. Following the news, it was later reported that the 40-year-old was unresponsive - and rumours began circulating online that he had died. However, those rumours were quickly shut down.

Daniel Cormier - a good friend of Askren - claimed the former two-promotion champion was back home. That said, Askren's wife provided an update soon after stating that her partner may need to undergo a lung transplant. Since then, reports suggested that Askren's health insurance would not cover a double lung transplant.

That said, Amy provided a positive update on Monday, writing: “We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant. We are forever thankful to the donor and his family.

READ MORE: Conor McGregor deletes reaction to Ilia Topuria's brutal KO over Charles Oliveira

READ MORE: Paddy Pimblett claims he knows exactly how he will stop Ilia Topuria after UFC 317 brawl

“This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift. It still doesn’t feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly. Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own.

"I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can’t wait to tell Ben all about It. I’m hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off.”

The positive update came nearly a week after Amy revealed that the ex-UFC star remains in hospital on a ventilator and that her husband is on the transplant list. “As of late last night, Ben is officially on the transplant list,” she wrote on Facebook. “Please pray he can get stronger and stay stable without complications while he waits, and that they find an amazing match for him and he accepts it smoothly. Also please pray for whoever that donor may be, and his family. It’s going to be a huge adjustment for Ben, but our family is so thankful that his other organs are ok and that there is a path forward.

“While he is having more periods of awareness, he’s not able to look at his phone yet and respond to messages. I am hoping he can get there in the next week or two! Also hoping we will get to a place soon where he can talk while on a trach. Yesterday he kept mouthing something for a while and we finally figured out he was saying coffee! (He can’t have it yet lol) What a huge relief to see him asking for something so normal.

"I’m so thankful his mind is healthy and I can’t wait to have him back. We are also so thankful for the amazing community we have-from close friends, friends we haven’t talked to in 20 plus years, to strangers who have reached out to share their similar stories or pray. Thank you.”

Both Amy and Ben married in 2010 and the pair have three children together with two daughters, Alex and Andy, and a son called Ozzi. During the peak of his powers, the American was considered one of the top welterweights in the sport after he won titles in both Bellator and ONE Championship. He eventually joined the UFC in 2019 and submitted former champion Robbie Lawler on his promotional debut.

However, he would then go on to lose back-to-back fights against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. Just a few weeks after the Maia fight, Askren announced his retirement from MMA, but it was not long before he eventually returned to combat sports after agreeing to fight Jake Paul in the boxing ring. The 40-year old would go on to suffer a knockout defeat in the first round in what was his only fight inside the squared-circle.