Askren Retires After Double Lung Transplant Return — SkimNews
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- Ben Askren lost 6-3 to former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the co-main event of RAF 11 in Milwaukee on Saturday — his first combat sports appearance since a first-round knockout loss to Jake Paul in 2021.
- The former U.S. Olympian and NCAA Division I national champion led Muhammad 3-0 before "noticeably fatiguing in the final round," one year after undergoing double lung transplant surgery following a 2025 pneumonia hospitalization.
- Askren left his shoes on the mat and told the crowd "I get tired fast these days," with Saturday also marking his 42nd birthday — a likely closing of a career that included title reigns in Bellator MMA and One FC and a UFC stint against Robbie Lawler, Jorge Masvidal, and Demian Maia.
- In the RAF 11 main event, Colby Covington defeated UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan 5-3 for the cruiserweight crossover title and called for future matchups against Muhammad, Khamzat Chimaev, and Tyron Woodley.
Why it matters: A year after double lung transplant surgery, Askren led Muhammad 3-0 before his body caught up in the final round — the shoes-left-on-the-mat moment confirms his comeback was a one-time farewell, not a return to competition, closing a title-laden career spanning Bellator, One FC, and the UFC.
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