Askren retires after wrestling loss to Belal Muhammad on 42nd birthday

Ben Askren has retired from competitive sport after losing 6-3 on points to fellow former UFC fighter Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling match in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday — his 42nd birthday.

The bout was staged by Real American Freestyle (RAF) and marked Askren's first competitive appearance since a 2021 boxing defeat by Jake Paul. It came roughly a year after an illness that he has said nearly killed him.

A return after serious illness

Askren required a double lung transplant after contracting pneumonia last year. He has said he "died four times" during the episode and spent 37 days in a coma, and that there were periods when he could not feed himself or stand unaided.

His recovery allowed him to commit to one more contest, which he described beforehand as a one-off. He produced a largely defensive performance and faded in the third and final period, later saying: "My legs gave out, they wouldn't carry me any longer. For sure it's my last time on the mat."

• Askren lost 6-3 to Belal Muhammad in a Real American Freestyle wrestling match in Milwaukee on Saturday, his 42nd birthday.
• He underwent a double lung transplant after falling ill with pneumonia and spent 37 days in a coma.
• His previous competitive appearance was a 2021 boxing defeat by Jake Paul; he had three UFC fights in 2019.
• Muhammad, 38, won the UFC welterweight title by beating Leon Edwards in 2024 and fought for the 22nd time in the UFC in June.

Muhammad's tribute

Muhammad paid tribute to his opponent after the match, saying Askren's recovery had been an inspiration. "He came back from death, this guy's a legend," he said. "He's changing lives. I know, he changed my life."

Askren, who said he wanted to make the most of the day and "make a difference in the world", gave no indication of any further competitive plans. His retirement closes a career that spanned Olympic-level wrestling, a stint as a Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder, and three UFC appearances in 2019.