If one were to limit their combat sports scope to the goings-on of the UFC, you might take pleasure from Dricus Du Plessis’ near-shutout performance against Kamaru Usman, Christian Leroy Duncan’s major victory over Jared Cannonier, or a star-making showing from young Tommy McMillen. Add in the PFL’s card this weekend, and there is Johnny Eblen’s TKO to become interim middleweight champion.
But the best moment in combat sports this weekend wasn’t found in a cage. It was found on a wrestling mat on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It was there that Real American Freestyle hosted RAF 11 and had a co-main event bout that was emotional and celebratory as Ben Askren made one last walk to the mat in front of a native Wisconsin audience.
For those who don’t know Askren’s story, it was just last year that this kind of event would have been considered a miracle.
In early June 2025, Askren was hospitalized after developing severe pneumonia as a result of a staph infection. He nearly lost his life, requiring a double lung transplant and, according to Askren, flatlining four times during his hospitalization.
One year ago this week, Askren was finally released from the hospital. And while such an ordeal would have spelt the complete end of one’s combat career, “Funky” gave himself one more chance to shine in a world that he’s so familiar with.
At the University of Missouri in the 2000s, Askren was a two-time NCAA champion and a multiple-time Big-12 champion. He went on to compete on the U.S. national wrestling team, winning a Pan-American Championships title and competing in the 2008 Olympics. Additionally, he won a gold medal in grappling at the 2009 World Grappling Championships.
That wrestling base would serve Askren well in his MMA career, going on to win welterweight championships in Bellator and ONE Championship. After a brief retirement in 2017 and 2018, Askren fought three times for the UFC in 2019, going 1-2, along with a boxing match with Jake Paul in 2021.
Askren’s opponent at RAF 11 was Belal Muhammad, a former UFC welterweight champion who trained with Askren as he was making his way up the ranks. Muhammad is an accomplished grappler in his own right, though he’s dropped three straight in the Octagon since losing the 170-pound championship.
As the two grappled for control during a quiet first period, Askren received a point when Muhammad could not score when put on the shot clock. Askren then defended well against Muhammad’s takedown attempts in the second period, and he added two points to his score by forcing Muhammad out of bounds twice. Askren had a 3-0 lead heading into the final period, and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena seemed to be in a bit of a frenzy, hoping for Askren to pull off the epic victory.
Alas, as some sports stories over the years have taught us, victory is not always found at the end. Muhammad rallied in the third period, scoring a double-leg takedown and two go-behinds, scoring two points each time and totaling a 6-3 come-from-behind victory.
While Askren didn’t get his hand raised, he is still a victor. The simple walk to the mat shows how far his health has come over the last year. And he got to compete one more time on the mats that he loves, against a well-respected former training partner and UFC champion, sharing the moment with family and friends as he left his wrestling shoes on the mat.
Askren got life’s biggest victory – he defeated death. Whether he won or lost this wrestling match was irrelevant; Ben Askren is the biggest victor in life this weekend.
