Ben Askren played a big part in many top fighters’ careers, and Bellator champion Corey Anderson has explained just how important he was to his life in and out of the cage.
Legendary former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champion Askren recently had a double lung transplant after battling pneumonia.
From Dana White to Jake Paul, Askren received universal support across the combat sport world. And it appears that he is working towards a recovery according to the latest updates from his wife Amy on social media.
Corey Anderson’s emotional tribute to Ben Askren
Corey Anderson is a beloved fan favorite who came within touching distance of a UFC title shot before heading over to Bellator, where he became world champion last year. He has a strong wrestling background, which is where he initially met Ben Askren.
He explained to MMAFighting’s Damon Martin just how impactful the Olympian was on his career in a recent interview, saying: “Not just my career but my life – my life wouldn’t be what it was if it wasn’t for Ben.
“That’s not just competing. That’s my life. I met my wife because of Ben Askren. I have two beautiful kids. I have a wife. I’ve got a fight career. It’s kind of like everything I have in an adult life, it came because of Ben Askren.
“Because this guy invited me to an MMA gym and the day I walked into an MMA gym, my wife was working behind the desk that day. That’s when I first met her. Years later we ended up starting a relationship and then she moved here.”
Ben Askren received his double lung transplant
The latest update from Amy Askren, the former UFC star’s wife, was a positive one last week as she confirmed he had been given a double lung transplant. The expensive surgery wasn’t covered by their insurance, but the family received support from the fight world through online donations.
“We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant,” she wrote in a post shared to her Instagram story on Monday morning. “We are forever thankful to the donor and his family. This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“It still doesn’t feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly. Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own.
“I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can’t wait to tell Ben all about it. I’m hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off.”