Brazilian mixed martial artist Caio Borralho sparked a frenzy among the combat sports fandom when he posted a tribute to Ben Askren, who has been battling Staphylococcal pneumonia. The American former professional boxer and mixed martial artist had been hospitalized for weeks. He took ill roughly a month after joining Hulk Hogan’s Real American Freestyle Wrestling and has yet to recover.
Amid reports that he’s unresponsive in an intensive care unit, Borralho posted a tribute on X, claiming the former UFC star has passed on. “R.I.P. Ben Askren! Prayers for the family right now,” reads the post he made on June 12, 2025. Expectedly, Borralho’s post ignited a death rumor about Askren, compelling those close to him to publicly debunk the rumor.
Why Did Caio Borralho Made That Post?
There is no bad blood between the Brazilian fighter and Ben Askren. It seems that Borralho’s post was a genuine mistake, rather than a deliberate attempt to gain attention as suggested in some quarters. After several sources debunked his post, Borralho deleted it and apologized. According to him, he thought the American fighter had passed after seeing a Maycee Barber post about Askren, with a caption that reads, “God has his arms on him now.”
Here’s Borralho’s apology:
Guyssss, I think I made a mistake 🙁 my bad. I did read a post of Mayce Barber with photos in black and white and I thought for a minute Ben was gone…..I HOPE IM WRONG!!! With that being said, still with prayers for him and his family
With that being said…I want to apologize with his family and himself. I’m glad it was all a misunderstanding situation where I saw some pictures of him in black and white and a text saying “god has his arms on him now” from Mayce, who is close to him. Sorry for Mayce too…it was never my intention to bring this up! Glad that he is at home and recovering as DC said.
How’s Ben Askren Doing Now?
The former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion is still fighting for his life. His wife Amy Askren continues to call for prayers. In her latest update about Ben’s health on June 10, 2025, Amy pleaded with fans to keep praying for the fighter. “Feeling so incredibly thankful for our friends and community – it’s times like this that remind you how truly blessed you are,” reads her Facebook post.
“I feel God moving through the love and support we have received. I’m sorry if I haven’t had the chance to respond to you, but know I’ve seen your message, and each one has meant so much to me. Please keep praying for Ben,” she implored. Ben and Amy have been together for a decade and a half. They got married in 2010 and are parents to three children.
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