A little over a year ago, he died. Not once or twice, but four times. He flatlined and had to be resuscitated, with the longest spell lasting 20 seconds. By the time he walked out of the hospital, he had lost nearly 23 kg and had a pair of brand-new lungs in his body. Even that didn’t stop Ben Askren from stepping onto the mat at Real Athletic Fighting 11, fighting his final bout, and leaving with his head held high.

According to a video posted across social media, the 42-year-old took his shoes and placed them in the center of the mat. That’s a time-honoured gesture that universally signals a wrestler’s retirement from the sport. It stems from the phrase “leave it all on the mat,” and by leaving their shoes behind, the wrestler quite literally does just that.

For Askren, it marked the fairytale ending to a comeback he never saw coming. The 42-year-old retired from MMA in 2019 due to a hip injury, had surgery a year later, and intended to wrestle at RAF 01 in 2025. However, that’s when problems struck, as he developed pneumonia from an infection. Nobody knew how bad it would get.

Within weeks, Askren was hospitalized in Wisconsin and put on a ventilator, as well as put on the transplant list for a pair of new lungs. Not only that, but the doctors resuscitated him four times, saving his life through their remarkable efforts. Even then, Askren doesn’t remember any of it.

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“I actually just read through my wife’s journal because I don’t remember anything from May 28th to July 2nd. No recollection. No idea what happened,” Askren said via an Instagram video in 2025. I just read through the journal, and it’s like a movie. So, I only died four times. The ticker stopped for about 20 seconds. I was actually on the scale yesterday, 147lb. I haven’t been 147lb since I was 15 years old.”

A year and a bit later, the tables had turned, and Askren was back on the mat. In fact, his social media pages document his recovery journey, and it’s an awe-inspiring one. From nearly dying to getting fit and strong enough for one last bout before officially calling time on his career, Askren completed a remarkable comeback. That was made possible by the RAF, which named him an ambassador after his recovery. Askren has been working with the company since 2025.

On Saturday, he faced former UFC star Belal Muhammad, who walked away with the win. Despite the result, the night was never going to be defined by it. Simply making it back onto the mat after everything he had endured was a victory in itself.

Ben Askren reflects on his final bout

After his battle against death in 2025, few expected to see Askren return to the mat in 2026. That’s even though the 2008 Olympian never officially announced his retirement from wrestling. Given his ordeal and transplant, nobody expected to see him back. Then, the RAF announced that the Olympian would return for a one-off match, with his recovery progressing well.

Unfortunately, Askren was on the back foot for the entire bout. Instead, he largely stayed on the defensive, with Belal Muhammad on the attack. Even then, he was 3-0 up going into the third and final period.

However, judging by his performance, Askren appeared to lose his stamina in the third and final period, as Muhammad walked away with the win. That was something the 42-year-old confirmed, revealing that his body simply couldn’t go any further.

“My legs gave out, they wouldn’t carry me any longer,” Askren said per BBC. “For sure, it’s my last time on the mat. I couldn’t find a better place to do this. 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.

“Every day I woke up and thanked God for the chance to do it just one more time. I promised I’m going to make the most of this day. I’m going to treat people well, work my ass off, and try to make a difference in the world.” 

A year after fighting for his life, Askren got to walk away from the sport on his own terms. Leaving his shoes on the mat became the final chapter of a comeback few believed was possible.