Ben Askren will return to active competition for the first time in seven years when he faces former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in a wrestling match at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 11 on July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bout will mark Askren’s debut for the promotion and take place on his 42nd birthday.

The former Bellator champion and accomplished wrestler revealed the news during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Askren’s return comes less than a year after a severe pneumonia battle that left him in a coma for 45 days and required a double-lung transplant, making his comeback an incredible development in his career.

“I was the first signee for Real American Freestyle back in May of 2025, prior to all of my issues, and I love wrestling, I love what they’re doing,” said Askren. “So I’ve been doing my very best to train and to get into shape, and it’s going really good.”

Askren acknowledged the physical challenges he has faced since his illness but said he has steadily rebuilt his fitness through daily training. “My wrestling knowledge and my wrestling acumen are still incredibly high, but my physical capacity — it was probably only five or six months ago where I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded and struggling,” said Askren. He added that he chose Muhammad because “Belal is really, really tough,” while noting the former UFC champion does not come from a high-level wrestling background.

Muhammad is scheduled to make his own RAF debut shortly after his UFC bout against Gabriel Bonfim on June 6. Askren said he received medical clearance to compete after demonstrating that he had already returned to regular wrestling training. “Eventually, I got [my doctor] to see that, ‘Hey, I’m wrestling people in the room on kind of a regular basis. So, wrestling with someone in a match is not really that much different,’” said Askren.

While Askren is preparing for one more appearance on the mat, he indicated the event is unlikely to spark a longer comeback. “I’m not wrestling again [after]. I don’t think so,” said Askren. “I’m going to do it once, and I’m going to enjoy it. Then I’m going to coach wrestling, enjoy my family, and help RAF grow.”