Ben Askren didn’t tell anyone how bad it really was. Not even his closest friends.
Askren returned to competition at RAF 11 on Saturday, a little over a year after a double lung transplant saved his life. He lost to Belal Muhammad, who erased a 3-0 deficit to take the match in the third period, but the result was never the point. Speaking with Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel, Askren admitted he’d kept the true state of his conditioning to himself going in.
I didn’t know what the result was going to be. I did know how limited I was and I hadn’t really told anybody. I didn’t even tell you how bad I was.
He also wanted to clear up something he said in his post-match interview, a line that set off alarm bells for anyone who had been worried about him competing at all.
I actually misspoke in the post-fight thing. I said my lungs hurt and my legs hurt. I meant to say, I was so tired, but my lungs didn’t hurt.
The distinction matters, and Askren explained exactly why.
My legs got so tired that I just couldn’t stand up but that was normal because that was how most of my workouts went for the past six to eight weeks. I was trying to really push myself on the Airdyne and my legs would give up before my lungs would.
The comeback drew concern from plenty of corners, including Joe Rogan and RAF commentator Chael Sonnen, who admitted the return made him uncomfortable before he came around on it. Askren knew he’d need a smart game plan rather than a gas-tank war, and he told his corner his legs had nothing left before Muhammad turned the match around.
He’s said his one-year checkup came back clean and his medication has been reduced.
