“I actually just read through my wife’s journal because I don’t remember anything between April 28th and July 2,” Askren said. “I only died four times, where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds. Not ideal.”
Askren added that while learning to use everything again and regain strength, he recorded his weight on Tuesday and learned he was 147 pounds. “I haven’t been 147 pounds since I was 15 years old,” he said.
In the video above, Askren fights through tears, saying what was most impactful to him “was the love I felt from everybody. It was almost like I got to be at my own funeral.”
“The outpouring of love from the wrestling community was just amazing. It felt so good,” he said. “I feel motivated to keep giving back. I love you guys and appreciate you guys.”
Askren retired from MMA in 2019 after competing in the UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championships. He remained undefeated in both Bellator and ONE, where he was also the longest-reigning champion in each organization’s history. Askren remained active in the combat-sports community, including a brief stint where he tried professional boxing—losing to Jake Paul by first round technical knock-out (TKO) in 2021.
Askren was admitted to a Wisconsin hospital in May with a severe case of pneumonia. But according to his wife, Amy, who detailed the ordeal on Facebook, the illness got so bad he was eventually put on a ventilator and, eventually, added to the list for a lung transplant.
