Former UFC star Ben Askren is set to make a stunning return to competitive action nearly a year after undergoing a double lung transplant. The 41-year-old was rushed to hospital last year after contracting pneumonia due to a staph infection, but has since recovered and returned to training.
Askren will face former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling match at RAF 11 on July 18 in Milwaukee. The event falls on Askren's birthday, which he said inspired his comeback: 'Something spoke to me and said, I need to wrestle in that.'
Before his MMA career, Askren was a decorated wrestler, winning medals for the USA. He transitioned to MMA in 2009 and quickly rose to prominence, winning titles in Bellator and ONE FC. After a successful UFC debut in 2019, he retired following losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, and later suffered a first-round knockout in a boxing match against Jake Paul.
Muhammad, 37, has remained active and is scheduled to fight Gabriel Bonfim before facing Askren. The American-Palestinian made his RAF debut in December, losing to David Car via technical fall.
