Ben Askren loses wrestling return, then confirms retirement
Ben Askren lost a points decision to Belal Muhammad in his wrestling return at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, then confirmed it was his final match. The former UFC fighter, competing on his 42nd birthday a year after a near-fatal illness and double lung transplant, fell 6-3 before retiring on the mat.
Key Takeaways
- Ben Askren lost 6-3 on points to Belal Muhammad at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 11 in Milwaukee.
- The bout fell on Askren's 42nd birthday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and was billed as a one-off return.
- Askren confirmed retirement afterward, saying his legs gave out and removing his wrestling shoes.
- He returned about a year after pneumonia complications, a lengthy coma, and a double lung transplant.
- Muhammad, a former UFC welterweight champion, praised Askren and asked the crowd for a standing ovation.
The result closed a remarkable chapter for Bizarre World sports comebacks: a decorated wrestler and ex-UFC fighter stepping back onto the mat after nearly dying, only to walk away for good once the final period ended.
What happened in Ben Askren's RAF 11 match?
On Saturday night, Askren faced Muhammad in freestyle wrestling under the RAF banner. According to BBC Sport, he lost 6-3 on points in a mainly defensive outing and clearly faded in the third and final period.
MMA Fighting reported that Askren stuffed early offense with strong hand-fighting, then initiated late in the second period. Muhammad pressed in the third, scored takedowns as Askren tired, and held on for the decision. Afterward Muhammad put Askren over with the crowd, then called out Colby Covington.
Why did Ben Askren's wrestling return matter?
Askren's previous contest was a 2021 boxing loss to Jake Paul. He had three UFC fights in 2019 and had already retired from MMA before Saturday's farewell.
About a year earlier, serious pneumonia complications left him fighting for his life. BBC Sport reported he needed a double lung transplant, said he "died four times," spent 37 days in a coma, and dropped to 63kg after losing nearly a third of his bodyweight. MMA Junkie added that a June 2025 staph infection led to the pneumonia and an induced coma before the transplant.
That recovery made a high-level match feel improbable. Askren still made it to his hometown arena and treated the night as a one-off—then kept that promise.
How did Ben Askren confirm his retirement?
"My legs gave out, they wouldn't carry me any longer," Askren said, confirming it was "for sure" his last time on the mat. He thanked God for one more day after months when he could not feed himself, stand, or use the bathroom, and said he would try to make a difference in the world.
Muhammad, 38, who won the UFC welterweight title by beating Leon Edwards in 2024, called Askren a legend who "came back from death" and changed lives, including his own. Askren laid his wrestling shoes at center mat—the traditional wrestler's goodbye.