Former UFC contender and Olympian Ben Askren revealed he was caught off guard when receiving supportive messages from two of his most notable rivals during his recent health crisis.
Askren has been battling a severe staph infection and pneumonia that left him in critical condition. He recently shared his astonishment during a recent interview about the broad support he’s received during his recovery journey.
“I was always kind of controversial, so there was always quite a few people who… Man, I got only positive messages. Like Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul both messaged me. I was like, ‘Where the [heck]’s that coming from?'” Askren remarked.
The 41-year-old underwent a double lung transplant and has been sharing updates about his recovery process. He expressed amazement at the widespread encouragement coming from across the combat sports world.
“The support was insanely broad across the board,” Askren added.
Jorge Masvidal, who famously competed against Askren in the UFC, sent a heartfelt video message saying: “What’s up, my brothers? I know we were rivals in the ring. I just want to say, God bless you, and when I get back in America, if I could come shake your hand, brother, and just share a prayer with you, it’ll be amazing, man. I know you’re going to pull through this, because you’re a warrior, brother.”
Similarly, Jake Paul, who faced Askren in a boxing match, has been vocal about wanting to help. In his message, Paul stated: “Hey, I just want to take a moment to say a prayer for Ben Askren and praying for his family. None of these people like Dana or anyone stepping in, so I feel like I have to do something, and that’s really all it is. This goes out to the one and only Ben Askren.”
Despite their past confrontations, both Masvidal and Paul put aside differences to offer genuine concern for Askren’s wellbeing.
Askren continues to recover from his health scare, with regular positive developments regarding his status being reported. His recent social media updates have shown the physical transformation he’s undergone since falling ill, looking quite healthy from before.
