Ben Askren had the lead in final wrestling match after double lung transplant; then his body gave out.

Ben Askren's competitive combat sports career came to an end after his body simply could not sustain the effort required in a wrestling match against Belal Muhammad. Just over a year after undergoing a life-threatening double lung transplant following a severe pneumonia diagnosis, the former UFC welterweight contender returned to the mat at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, where he lost 6-3 to the ex-UFC champion.

Askren controlled the opening two periods and held a lead entering the final round, but Muhammad surged in the third period with a takedown and reversal before pulling away. Reflecting on the match, Askren explained that his body gave out as the intensity escalated. "The match was going relatively well," he told FloWrestling. "At the end of the second period, when I walked over to my corner, I'm like, my legs have nothing left. I'm gonna have a hard time being in my stance. I'm gonna have a hard time not getting pushed around." When Muhammad increased the pace, Askren's physical reserves were depleted. "He came out really hard, and I was like, my body doesn't have it left in me. I did the best I could. I knew my legs don't have any more."

Askren confirmed the loss marked his final competitive appearance. "For sure, it's my last time on the mat," he told Chael Sonnen post-match. "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." His return and retirement represent a remarkable recovery from a life-altering health crisis.