Ben Askren is a retired American mixed martial artist, former collegiate wrestler, and former Olympic freestyle wrestler. The phrases you provided (ben, askren, before, and, after) appear to be individual words or fragments rather than a complete question. If you’re asking about Ben Askren’s career timeline or how his career progressed before and after key moments, here’s a concise outline:
- Early life and wrestling foundation
- Born July 18, 1984, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and grew up in Hartland, Wisconsin. He developed a strong amateur wrestling background, establishing himself as a top freestyle wrestler and collegiate competitor. If you’d like, I can pull more specifics on his high school and college wrestling accolades.
- College wrestling prominence
- Attended the University of Missouri (Missouri Tigers). He became a two-time NCAA Division I national champion in folkstyle wrestling, and three-time Big 12 Conference champion. He also earned multiple Dan Hodge Trophies as one of the sport’s premier wrestlers during his era. Want a compact timeline of those titles?
- Transition to mixed martial arts
- Began MMA competition in 2009, rising through major promotions Bellator and One Championship, where he held welterweight titles and built a reputation as a dominant grappler.
- UFC and post-UFC phase
- Entered the UFC later in his career, fighting in welterweight and achieving notable high-profile bouts, including a high-profile fight with Jake Paul in boxing terms in 2021.
- Medical challenges and later life
- In 2025 reports described significant health challenges, including a life-threatening infection leading to a double lung transplant. He has since been publicly sharing recovery progress, including training updates and appearances. If you want, I can summarize the sequence of reported events and outcomes in more detail.
If you intended a different question—such as a comparison of “before” and “after” phases of his career, notable fights, or biographical milestones—please clarify what you’d like to focus on (for example: “Before UFC vs after UFC in his MMA career,” or “Key achievements before 2010 and after 2010”). I can tailor a precise, chronological breakdown or a side-by- side comparison once you specify the exact angle.
