Boxing

Ben Askren Reveals Jake Paul, Jorge Masvidal Messages After Lung Transplant Surgery

Ben Askren got honest about messages he received from two former rivals in the wake of his long-threatening illness.
Grant Young|
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While Ben Askren was formerly a world champion MMA fighter and world-renowned wrestler before he nearly lost his life after complications from having pneumonia combined with a severe staph infection (which resulted in him needing a double lung transplant), he was still best known for being at the receiving end of the most viral knockout in UFC history, when Jorge Masvidal jump-kneed him in the head five seconds into a fight.

Jorge Masvidal (red gloves) fights against Ben Askren (blue gloves) at T-Mobile Arena on July 6, 2019
Jul 6, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Jorge Masvidal (red gloves) fights against Ben Askren (blue gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. Jorge Masvidal set a new record for the fastest knockout in UFC history with five seconds. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

More recently, Askren fought Jake Paul during a 2021 boxing fight and lost to him via first-round knockout. However, these defeats pale in comparison to the victory he just had with this health scare and ensuing surgery, from which he is now out of the hospital and back home.

Askren Speaks on Paul, Masvidal Messages After Hospital Stay

Masvidal and Askren had a lot of bad blood before that aforementioned UFC knockout, which had continued for years after it occurred.

However, Masvidal set that aside in order to send Askren a heartfelt message in the wake of what he was going through, which included Masvidal saying, "I know we were rivals in the ring. I just want to say, God bless you, and when I get back in America, I could come shake your hand, brother, and just share a prayer with you, it will be amazing, man."

It also came out that Jake Paul gave the Askren family a huge donation in order to help pay for the double lung transplant, since it wasn't covered by Askren's insurance.

Askren did an interview with TMZ, which was published on their YouTube page on July 26. And at one point, he spoke about the messages he received from these two former foes of his.

"Man, I got only positive messages. Like, Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul both messaged me. It's like, 'Where the h*** did that come from?'" Askren said.

It's cool to see combat sports fighters put their in-ring differences aside and come together in a moment of need.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.