r/wrestling • u/ReallyNotAnExpert • 3h ago
Ben Askren will make his RAF debut in Milwaukee on July 18 against Belal Muhammad.
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u/Low_Judge_7282 3h ago
This is a horrible idea for someone who received a lung transplant
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u/Milomilz USA Wrestling 2h ago
Uhhh double lung transplant
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u/yosefsbeard 2h ago
And hip replacements
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u/Mundane-Show4536 1h ago
Did he have a hip replacement? I am much older (64) and am getting a shoulder replacement. I stopped wrestling long ago (got on the mat at age 59 and immediately realized it was a bad idea) but would hit the bags now and then. My ortho says that those days are long gone and the only thing I will be able to do is light weight training.
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u/Stinkycheese8001 USA Wrestling 1h ago
We don’t know what his medical advice is, but that was major, major surgery just a year ago and he was traumatically ill leading up to it. I am baffled by this but assume that he needs the money.
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u/Ambitious-Knee8072 Penn State Nittany Lions 3h ago
When he told his doctor that he "wants to get back to coaching and doing what I love," I don't think this is what the doc had in mind...
Certainly I hope things go well for him but competing and coaching kids are two entirely different things.
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u/yosefsbeard 2h ago
Haha I think the doctor meant things like "holding your loved ones" and "see your children grow up a little bit more"
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u/Cantseetheline_Russ USA Wrestling 2h ago
What in the world is he thinking…. My FIL is part of a transplant team. We were talking about this today… he said it’s absolutely insane to consider. Just look at the guy… all that edema from the CNI’s and Prednisone…. He’s literally playing with his life.
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u/wowzersimsosmart USA Wrestling 2h ago
Dude was couging up a lung on saturdays broadcast and couldnt catch his breath.
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u/-Granby- USA Wrestling 2h ago
I love Ben but this is not smart at all.
I feel like it is negligent on whoever cleared him to wrestle and for RAF for allowing it.
But hey, they people with the colds are way over there so what do I know?
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u/Distinct-King-6735 USA Wrestling 2h ago
Terrible, I almost feel like he’s slapping everyone who helped in this journey in the face. I just don think it’s a good idea.
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u/EischensBar USA Wrestling 1h ago
If RAF goes through with this, they should have every single permit and license that they hold revoked. This is an insanely negligent thing to do as a sports governing body.
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u/vischy_bot USA Wrestling 2h ago
Would love to be excited for this but literally no one is excited for this 😭😭
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u/cptjtk13 Nebraska Cornhuskers 2h ago
Wow. I guess this experience really didn't change him all that much in the end.
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u/atacms 2h ago
I mean why wouldn't he do what he loves.
But yeah, I don't get the need to compete considering that you should have been dead.
To each his own though.
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u/cptjtk13 Nebraska Cornhuskers 2h ago
Because it could kill him.
He shared after this experience how prescious life is, how he's changed his perspective, and now, he's going to put his life in jeopardy. So guess that was all bluster.
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u/atacms 2h ago
I'm being the devil's advocate but he could just value wrestling that highly. Dude's body was destroyed and I can understand how difficult it probably has been for him to be in such a state where lifting 5 LBS felt like exceptional work.
That's a bit of identity stripping like overnight. So for me I could see him wanting to do this he's been a lifelong competitor they always want to be out there. I don't think it's wise but for him maybe it's worth it and maybe it's one of the things he laid out in his mind while he was recovering.
but yeah ultimately wtf dude lol
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u/cptjtk13 Nebraska Cornhuskers 2h ago
Maybe. And he could leave his wife and kids behind because competing was more important to him.
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u/International-Okra79 1h ago
He is an adult but I don’t think this is a good idea at all. He should take up something else to give him a challenge. Something he can pace himself.
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u/PackIcy2106 1h ago
Probably not the best idea, but those are rarely fun. He's old enough to make his choices and I wish him luck.
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u/chuckster1972 37m ago
Fuck ......combat sports is a real hard career choice to properly retire from.
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u/Stinkycheese8001 USA Wrestling 1h ago
There’s a “combatsportspolitics” sub? Dear lord that must truly be a dumpster fire.
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u/tukamott3 1h ago
All the people complaining about what this man is doing 😂😂😂. If he thinks it’s a good idea why do people feel compelled to tell him otherwise? If the man does doing what he loves, that’s a great way to go out. The day people learn to stop fearing death, it’s when you unlock your potential in this life.
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u/RedNulItt USA Wrestling 3h ago
What athletic commission would ever sign off on this, this is madness