Ben Askren, former UFC fighter and Olympic wrestler, has been hospitalized with severe pneumonia, his wife announced on Facebook.

“You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something. He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly. He’s currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time. We welcome all prayers for healing and for peace. We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully so please refrain from discussing it with them for now.”

According to CBS News, the former Bellator welterweight champion developed pneumonia after first being diagnosed with a staph infection. He is in critical condition. His wife’s update came as speculation spread throughout the MMA community.

Askren (40) and his wife, who married in April 2010, have three children: daughters Alex and Andy, and son Ozi. The family resides in Wisconsin.

Askren, who compiled a 19-2 MMA record, retired from the UFC in 2019.

Ben Askren (born July 18, 1984, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is a former Olympic wrestler and mixed martial artist. He wrestled at the University of Missouri, compiling a 153–8 record, winning two NCAA Division I titles (2006, 2007), three Big 12 championships, and earning the Dan Hodge Trophy twice. In 2012, he was inducted into Missouri’s Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.

Askren competed for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before switching to MMA in 2009. He became the Bellator welterweight champion in 2010, defending his title a record four times, and later won the ONE Championship welterweight belt in 2014. He entered the UFC in 2019 with an undefeated 19–0 record.

In the UFC, Askren won his debut against Robbie Lawler but was knocked out in five seconds by Jorge Masvidal — the fastest KO in UFC history. After a loss to Demian Maia later that year, Askren retired.

Following his MMA career, Askren briefly boxed Jake Paul in 2021 and later returned to competitive wrestling