Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
Former MMA and amateur wrestling champion Ben Askren is being evaluated for a possible lung transplant, according to his wife.
Askren, 40, remains hospitalized in his home state of Wisconsin because of severe pneumonia. According to his wife, Amy, he is on a ventilator and ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) but has been able to open his eyes and squeeze hands.
“I haven’t shared an update because Ben has been in limbo for a while and I was hoping to have him wake up and be the one to decide what to share,” Amy wrote on Facebook.
“I’m still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for a lung transplant. Please pray for his continued healing, and if transplant is the solution, that he can get on the list quickly and easily. I know transplants are such a blessing and I’m overwhelmed at the thought of him receiving a gift like that. No one would take better care of that gift than Ben.”
Askren fought his entire professional career out of Hartland, Wisconsin, and he runs a wrestling academy out of the area. He retired from MMA in 2019 and was also a two-time NCAA Division I champion in wrestling and a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. He and Amy have three children together.
“Thank you for every message and all of the support,” Amy wrote. “Despite this awful situation, I’m feeling so blessed by the community we’re surrounded by. Give your loved ones a hug today and make sure you’re prepared for situations like this. Ben is the healthiest guy I know and I never could have expected this.”
