Ben Askren’s recovery timeline leading up to recently receiving a double lung transplant has gripped the combat sports world with one of Bellator’s most tenured broadcasters offering up his thoughts on these recent health scares the former Bellator champion has been dealing with. Appearing on Bowks Talking Bouts, Sean Wheelock touched on his personal history with the two time Hodge trophy winner with both men interacting in Bellator from 2010 onward and hitting it off right away per the commentator.
There were several connections between the two that informed that bond with Askren graduating from the University of Missouri where Wheelock’s mother went, ‘Funky’ coached at Arizona State where Wheelock himself went, and Askren’s wife Amy grew up one suburb away from Wheelock as well. Also beyond calling multiple Askren fights in Bellator MMA, Wheelock served as one of the commentators for Askren’s boxing bout with Jake Paul. When touching upon the health issues that Askren has faced in recent times, Wheelock said,
“It’s been awful. It’s been something that I’ve been thinking about daily. I was saying to my wife you know here’s a guy, not just one of the greatest welterweights in MMA history, this guy was an Olympian and he owns a wrestling school. So it’s not like someone who has let themselves go. Ben has always lived a super clean life. The guy is on the mats everyday working with kids. It’s just dumbfounding that he’s had those health problems. To see that video and that he’s talking was wonderful because it’s been something where I’m not going to bug his lovely wife Amy Askren. I’m certainly not texting Ben on his phone ‘hey, how are you doing?’.”
“So I’m following along with everybody else within the fight community. There’s that kind of that class of 2010 Bellator people where there’s still kind of a kinship. It would be like the Joe Warren’s in that group just talking and asking about what’s happening. But to see Ben recovered and actually speaking and he looked and sounded like Ben was fantastic. Because I’m waiting along with everyone ‘oh my god, what is going to happen?’ Then you hear double lung transplant. It’s just truly one of the most unbelievable stories. How is this possible with Ben Askren? The guy is forty years old.”
Ben Askren receives support from infamous UFC rival
Ben Askren has been receiving support and encouragement from many within the combat sports world, even beyond people that he already had positive rapport with prior to his recent health issues. In July 2019, Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal stepped into the cage at UFC 239 to do battle in one of the more heated, personal fights in recent memory but in July 2025, the latter stands in solidarity with the former.
In the wake of Askren’s severe pneumonia complications and what he has gone through the last couple of months, Masvidal took to his personal Instagram page to offer support to Askren. As he addressed his former opponent on his personal social media, Masvidal stated [via MMA Fighting].
“What’s up, my brother? I know we were rivals in the ring. I just want to say, God bless you. And when I get back in America, if I can come shake your hand, brother, and just say a prayer with you, it will be amazing, man. I know you’re going to pull through this because you’re a f*cking warrior, brother. God bless. Your story is crazy inspirational what you’re going through right now. God bless you, and I’m hoping to get back and just be able to shake your hand. I hope all is well, brother.”
