Ben Askren: "Afraid I’m about to die” - Cory Sandhagen shares harrowing story about major staph infection in the wake of Ben Askren-situation

Cory Sandhagen recently shared a terrifying story about his battle with staph infections in the wake of Ben Askren's life-threatening situation. Askren was recently diagnosed with a staph infection that had found its way into the former fighter's lung. He will now be needing a lung transplant, and has been in the hospital for weeks in critical condition.

A staph infection, medically known as staphylococcus, is usually an infection residing in the skin. The serious nature of the bacteria can see an infected-person develop holes in their skin, and in the worst case scenarios death can occur.

Sandhagen recently appeared on the popular podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), where the pair discussed Askren's horrific situation. This led to 'The Sandman' recounting a story of his own experience dealing with a serious staph infection in his knee, saying:

"That's why I think I freaked out really bad with my knee. I remember laying in bed... I called my wife and just set the phone next [to me] and was like, 'Hey, until you get home. Can you just be on the phone 'cause I'm kind of afraid I'm about to die.' It got really scary there for a second.. It was super swollen. It wasn't an abrasion. It was inside my [knee]... That really wasn't good."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Check out Cory Sandhagen's comments below (40:05):

Cory Sandhagen believes antibiotics for staph infection caused him to tear his tricep

Cory Sandhagen faced off against Rob Font in the main event of UFC Nashville in 2023 in a short-notice clash at a catchweight of 140 pounds. During the fight, Sandhagen suffered a torn tricep muscle which saw the striking specialist rely on his grappling skillset to dominate Font en route to a decision victory.

The bantamweight contender required surgery on the torn muscle and only returned to action a full year later.

During his aforementioned appearance on JRE, Sandhagen shared his belief that the torn tricep was caused by antibiotics he used to treat a staph infection. He said:

"Dude, the type of antibiotic that I was on, I forget the name of it unfortunately. But the reason I tore my tricep was because that antibiotic made my ligaments super sh**ty, pretty much... I'm pretty sure it happened when he was kimura-ing me. Dude, that shouldn't happen." [37:46-38:04 in the aforementioned interview]

Check out a video of Cory Sandhagen's injury below:

Expand Tweet

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Tejas Rathi