An emotional Ben Askren ended his competitive career with a points loss in a wrestling match with another former UFC fighter Belal Muhammad.
Askren came out of retirement for one last bout on Saturday, a year after he almost died from pneumonia.
The fight was organised by Real American Freestyle (RAF) and took place on Askren’s 42nd birthday in his home town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He needed a double lung transplant after falling ill last year, when Askren said he “died four times” and was in a coma for 37 days.
He lost nearly a third of his bodyweight and weighed 63kg.
His recovery was such that he felt able to commit to one last fight, although he said it would be a one-off.
And Askren, who had three UFC fights in 2019, stayed true to his word after losing 6-3 to Muhammad.
Askren produced a mainly defensive performance and clearly faded during the third and final period.
“My legs gave out, they wouldn’t carry me any longer,” he said. “For sure it’s my last time on the mat. I couldn’t find a better place to do this.
“I worked hard over the last year. It was tough. There were times I couldn’t feed myself, I couldn’t stand up or go to the bathroom.
“Every day I woke up and thanked God for the chance to do it just one more time. I promised I’m going to make the most of this day. I’m going to treat people well, work my ass off and try to make a difference in the world.”
Muhammad beat British fighter Leon Edwards to win the UFC welterweight title in 2024 and had the last of his 22 UFC fights in June.
The 38-year-old added: “He [Askren] came back from death, this guy’s a legend.
“He’s changing lives. I know, he changed my life. I’m at home ready to quit. I’m tired, I’m sore, all my losses, but I look at Ben still fighting every single day.
“It shows you man, life is precious. Go after it bro.”