Ben Askren blasts ‘terrible human being’ Colby Covington after mocking his 2025 health scare

Colby Covington used his RAF 11 post-fight press conference to mock Ben Askren’s long journey back to the wrestling mats.

Colby Covington continues to find success outside of the UFC Octagon after winning the Real American Freestyle Crossover Cruiserweight championship last weekend at RAF 11. He handed top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan his first loss on the mats in an impressive performance from the three-time UFC title challenger.

Before Covington’s win over Tsarukyan, former UFC welterweight Ben Askren made his miraculous return to freestyle wrestling against former UFC welterweight champ Belal Muhammad. Askren’s return to combat sports came just a year after he was fighting for his life in a hospital after a severe case of pneumonia.

After undergoing a double-lung transplant, Askren’s return to the mats was one of the biggest combat sports stories of the year. Despite Askren’s inspirational moment, Covington mocked Askren as a ‘dead guy with rented lungs’ in recent interviews.

Ben Askren responds to ‘terrible human being’ Colby Covington after controversial taunts

In a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Askren responded to Covington’s comments.

“I try not to hold grudges, but Colby just rubs me the wrong way because he doesn’t say good things about people,” Askren said of Covington.

“If you watched what he said at the press conference on Friday about Belal, and specifically about Belal’s wife, it was gross. It was just terrible human being stuff. We’re in show business, and I get the whole trash-talking thing, but don’t bring Belal’s wife into it.

“I think a lot of the things he does are just kind of gross,” Askren continued. “He can choose to do that, but I’m probably not going to interact with him because I just don’t see the point.” (h/t MMA Mania)

Do you agree with Ben Askren’s stance against Colby Covington? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!