Wrestling Legend Ben Askren Confirms Final Match at RAF 11 After Double Lung Transplant Against Belal Muhammad

Wrestling legend Ben Askren is returning to competition for the first time since surviving a life-threatening lung transplant, and he’s doing it on his birthday against a former UFC champion. Askren will face Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling match at RAF 11 on July 18, 2026, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The bout serves as the co-main event, with Arman Tsarukyan vs. Colby Covington headlining the card.

Ben Askren Returns to Wrestling for Final Match at RAF 11 Against Belal Muhammad

Askren, 41, comes off a near-fatal health crisis that began with severe pneumonia caused by a staph infection on his elbow. He was hospitalized for over a month and required a double lung transplant on June 30, 2025, less than a year before this comeback. Doctors said the surgery saved his life. He has not competed since, making this his first match in roughly seven years.

This will be Askren’s only competitive appearance. He confirmed during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show that RAF 11 will be his last match. He was actually the first athlete signed to Real American Freestyle in May 2025, but fell ill before he could compete. Since recovering, he’s been coaching for about three months and leading wrestling clinics through Askren’s Wrestling Academy. He also serves as a commentator for RAF.

The timing of the fight is personal for Askren. July 18 is his 42nd birthday, and he said he specifically lobbied for a show in Milwaukee, his home state, because the date matched. “Something spoke to me,” he said. “I said I need to wrestle on that day.”

Belal Muhammad, 37, is a former UFC welterweight champion known for his wrestling-heavy MMA style, though he does not have Askren’s elite amateur wrestling pedigree. Muhammad competes at 170 lbs in MMA, stands 5’11”, and has a professional record of 24–5–0. He previously competed in RAF at event 4 in December 2025, where he lost to David Carr. The Askren-Muhammad bout will be contested at cruiserweight.

The event will stream exclusively on FOX Nation. More matchups for RAF 11 are expected to be announced in the coming weeks on the promotion’s website. Tickets are available through RAF’s Instagram post announcing the fight.

Askren’s wrestling résumé is extensive. He is a two-time NCAA Division I champion (2006, 2007) from the University of Missouri, a 2008 Olympic alternate, and a former Bellator welterweight champion who held the title twice. He retired from MMA in 2019 after a loss to Jorge Masvidal set a record for fastest knockout in UFC history. His only post-retirement competition before this was a professional boxing match against Jake Paul, which he lost by KO.

The wrestling community has reacted with high anticipation. Many view the match as a “victory lap” for Askren’s survival and recovery. His comeback is being called one of the most improbable returns in sports history, given how close he came to death during his month-long hospital stay.

RAF 11 marks a significant moment for Real American Freestyle, a new unscripted pro wrestling league built for elite athletes. The promotion blends freestyle wrestling with spectacle and has attracted multiple UFC stars to its roster. Askren’s return adds major credibility and emotional weight to the event.