Ben Askren officially added to lung transplant waiting list

Former MMA champion Ben Askren was hospitalised on June 7 in Wisconsin after falling critically ill with pneumonia but now has officially been placed on the lung transplant waiting list, according to his wife.

Askren's wife said that his other organs are "OK". The former MMA fighter has recovered and improved as he requested coffee on Monday.

Askren's wife explained that he is officially on the transplant list and asked to pray for his better health and to get the best match.

"As of late last night, Ben is officially on the transplant list," Amy wrote.

"Please pray he can get stronger and stay stable without complications while he waits, and they find an amazing match for him and he accepts it smoothly."

She added that he had been mouthing repeatedly the day before, and they eventually realised he was saying "coffee." Although he could not have it yet, she felt big relief and gratitude that he was asking for something so normal.

"Yesterday, he kept mouthing something for a while and we finally figured out he was saying, 'coffee!' (He can't have it yet lol). What a huge relief to see him asking for something so normal. I'm so thankful his mind is healthy and I can't wait to have him back."

Askren fought his entire professional career out of Hartland, Wisconsin, and he also runs a wrestling academy which has several branches in the United States.

Askren, who was a two-time NCAA Division I champion in wrestling and a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team, officially retired from MMA in 2019.