When Corey Anderson first crossed paths with Ben Askren, Anderson was a college wrestler who had already achieved significant recognition. He had no idea then just how much that meeting would shape his entire future.
Askren, a highly accomplished wrestler himself with two National Championships and an appearance in the 2008 Olympics, was impressed by Anderson`s mindset and competitive spirit. He extended an invitation to Anderson to train with him and suggested pursuing a career in mixed martial arts. This proved to be a pivotal influence. Anderson began training with Askren and eventually earned a spot on *The Ultimate Fighter* reality show, which served as the foundation for a career where he has remained a top light heavyweight fighter for the past decade and notably became the final 205-pound champion in Bellator history.
Currently, Askren is hospitalized and recovering from a double lung transplant, a procedure needed due to a severe case of pneumonia. While Askren’s wife, Amy, has been providing regular updates on his condition, Anderson admits that seeing his friend and mentor go through such a serious health crisis has deeply affected him.
“It hits my wife more,” Anderson told MMA Fighting. “I’m not an emotional guy. Like right now I feel when you mention Ben’s name, the tears start rolling behind the eyes. Every night we do the prayer thing for him. I come in from the gym or wherever and I can hear her in there on the Zoom and every time she comes out with tears in her eyes.”
He added, “It’s just like any time we talk about the situation or someone posts [something] and she shares it to me and we start talking about it, I can see her hurting.”
The profound impact on Anderson`s wife, Jennifer, stems from the significant role Askren has played in both of their lives.
In fact, Anderson states that if it weren`t for Askren, he and Jennifer would never have met.
“Not just my career but my life—my life wouldn’t be what it was if it wasn’t for Ben,” Anderson explained. “That’s not just competing. That’s my life. I met my wife because of Ben Askren. I have two beautiful kids. I have a wife. I’ve got a fight career. It’s kind of like everything I have in an adult life, it came because of Ben Askren.”
He elaborated on their meeting: “Because this guy invited me to an MMA gym and the day I walked into an MMA gym, my wife was working behind the desk that day. That’s when I first met her. Years later we ended up starting a relationship and then she moved here.”
After leaving college in Wisconsin and dedicating himself full-time to MMA, Anderson has trained at numerous gyms throughout his career. However, Askren has remained a constant source of guidance.
Anderson says that whenever he needs advice, Askren is almost always one of the first people he contacts.
“Every time we go back home, we go visit Ben,” Anderson shared. “If I have an issue in the fight game, even right now before I’ve got a fight and before I got a fight, [my wife told me] message Ben. If I’ve got anything like Ben, what can I do to promote myself better without trying to sell my soul? I’ll reach out to Ben. Anything, I reach to Ben when I have an issue.”
He names Askren and Eddie Alvarez as his key advisors in the sport: “The two people I talk to: Ben Askren and Eddie Alvarez. The two people that’s been in the game the longest that are the biggest mentors to me that can guide me in the right direction because they’ve seen it all and they’ve done it all.”
Anderson admits that the past few weeks have been difficult with Askren hospitalized, but his thoughts and prayers are constantly with the former Bellator and ONE champion.
Even as he prepares for his upcoming return to competition at the PFL Africa card next Saturday, Anderson continues to think about Askren’s recovery from the lung transplant.
More than anything, Anderson is eager for the day he can simply pick up the phone and hear Askren’s voice on the other end again.
Summarizing Askren’s immense influence, Anderson stated, “[Ben Askren] pretty much brought me in a direction for the life I have from my wife, from MMA, the first MMA gym I’ve ever been in, coached me in college and got me to the NCAA National Finals.” He even mentioned Askren’s help with his hunting channel by suggesting spots. “It’s all because of Ben,” he emphasized, expressing a feeling of helplessness during Askren’s illness. “You can’t really do nothing to help.”
“I just want to call and talk to him,” Anderson expressed, adding, “Even if he doesn’t say anything back… It’s a weird situation. You just keep praying on it and hope he comes out [OK].”
