Ben Askren made an emotional return to wrestling on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on his illustrious career with a poignant points loss to fellow former UFC fighter Belal Muhammad. The 42-year-old's bravery in stepping back into the mat was a testament to his unbreakable spirit, just a year after defying death and undergoing a life-saving double lung transplant following a gruelling battle with pneumonia.
Askren's health crisis had pushed him to the very limits of human endurance – 'dying four times' and enduring a 37-day coma in a fight for his life that saw his weight plummet to a mere 63kg. Yet, against all odds, he fought back, slowly regaining strength and eventually mustering the determination to commit to one final competitive appearance. And so, with tears in his eyes and a sense of closure in his heart, Askren took to the mat for what he promised would be the last time.
The match itself was a defensive struggle, with Askren visibly tiring as the clock ticked down – his legs finally giving out in the third period. Speaking after the bout, a visibly emotional Askren acknowledged his limitations, vowing that this truly was the end: "My legs gave out, they wouldn't carry me any longer. For sure it's my last time on the mat. I couldn't find a better place to do this." The raw emotion in his words was a poignant reminder of the incredible journey he'd undertaken – "I worked hard over the last year. It was tough. There were times I couldn't feed myself, I couldn't stand up or go to the bathroom."
Muhammad, meanwhile, paid tribute to Askren's unwavering resilience, praising his friend for inspiring him on and off the mat – "He came back from death, this guy's a legend. He's changing lives. I know, he changed my life." The 38-year-old UFC veteran reflected on the preciousness of life, urging fans to follow their dreams with the same passion and determination that Askren had shown throughout his remarkable career.
As the curtain closed on Askren's wrestling days, it was business as usual for some other British fighters. Christian Leroy Duncan continued his impressive run in the UFC, securing a fifth consecutive victory with a unanimous decision against Jared Cannonier in Oklahoma City – taking his overall MMA record to an impressive 15-2. However, rising star Lewis McGrillen's four-fight win streak came to an end on his USA debut, losing via rear naked choke to Rafael do Nascimento in Austin, while Ireland's Caolan Loughran suffered a hard-fought defeat at the hands of Julio Arce – leaving him with a record of 11-4.