Ben Askren shares hilarious story about cursing out nurses during hospital stay for double lung transplant

Former UFC star Ben Askren expressed self-humor when reflecting on his lengthy medical scare last year with a double lung transplant.

Former UFC star Ben Askren was on death’s doorstep as he underwent a double lung transplant following a bout of pneumonia stemming from a staph infection. Almost a full year after Askren was hospitalized, Askren looks well recovered from his ailments, and a potential combat sports comeback isn’t out of the question.

Askren inspired many inside and outside of combat sports with his inspirational recovery efforts. But that hasn’t stopped Askren from expressing his humorous persona, as evidenced by a brutal takedown of Nate Diaz’s career accolades.

During one of the scariest moments of his life in the hospital, Askren still had some funny moments while recovering.

Ben Askren cursed out nurses, visitors while heavily medicated at the hospital

In a recent episode of Funky and the Champ, Askren shared a hilarious story from his hospital stay.

Ben Askren says Nate Diaz was an average fighter who convinced people he was good at fighting 👀🔥

“Nate Diaz, I don’t even think he’s that good, but he has convinced people he’s good at fighting somehow, some way. He was average. His record is 21–13. That’s not that great.… pic.twitter.com/ZUgz5ts6uP

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 6, 2026

“I would say some wild s—. My favorite one, I was totally out of my mind, of course. Keegan and Jacob, two of my old wrestlers came to visit me in the hospital one time,” Askren said.

“And I don’t know why, but I was so mad that morning. Probably they had me on drugs. I was so mad, kept flipping off the nurses every time they’d leave. I’d be like ‘Guys! You have to get me out of here. You can’t kidnap me’. And they were like ‘Dude, no you’re connected to so many wires’.

“Started calling them names, and I was like ‘You guys are p——s, get me out of here right now’.”

Askren retired from MMA in 2020 before fighting Jake Paul in the boxing ring in 2021. He hasn’t ruled out potentially competing in Real American Freestyle wrestling in the near future, following in the footsteps of Bo Nickal and Yoel Romero.