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Chris Leben is grateful to be alive but admitted that it might take a while before he fully recovers.
The former UFC middleweight has been battling with post-COVID-19 symptoms these past few weeks. After experiencing some trouble breathing earlier this month, the 41-year-old was hospitalized.
Since last week, Leben has been posting updates on his current status on social media. In his latest Instagram post, 'The Crippler' treated his fans with some good news.
Doctors told The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 semi-finalist that his lungs suffered the most damage. However, there's also a great chance he can fully recover.
“I feel pretty good… I got no tubes in my body right now. The only thing [in me] is this oxygen. What has took the most damage for sure is my lungs. It did say a hundred percent my lungs are damaged but they also said a hundred percent recovery is possible and I think that’s what’s gonna happen. It’s gonna take some time, start out slow, but, you know, [at least] I’m still alive man. I’m still here. And for that, I’m so grateful,” said Leben via his Instagram video.
Watch Leben's full video below:
Leben was one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC during his time. He was most notably remembered for his epic bouts against Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping and Anderson Silva. He finished his UFC career with a record of 12-10 and retired in 2014 following a series of losses.
Chris Leben ended his career with a bang
Chris Leben came out of retirement and joined Bellator in 2016. However, a heart condition halted him from competing again. He was cleared by his doctors in 2018 and made his bare-knuckle boxing debut at BKFC the following year.
In February 2021, Leben, who was 2-1 at BKFC at the time, took on Quentin Henry for his retirement fight. The former UFC middleweight needed less than one round to knock his opponent out cold.
Just days after calling it a career, Leben made a shocking admission about another possible comeback. When a Twitter fan prompted him to fight YouTube star Jake Paul next, he boldly said he might be willing to end his retirement for this bout. However, Leben stayed away from further fights.
