TUF 1 alum Chris Leben hospitalized for post-COVID respiratory issues

In November, TUF 1 alum Diego Sanchez shared his COVID battle with the rest of the world. The 40-year-old “Nightmare” had it quite bad,…

By: Milan Ordoñez | 1 year ago
TUF 1 alum Chris Leben hospitalized for post-COVID respiratory issues
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

In November, TUF 1 alum Diego Sanchez shared his COVID battle with the rest of the world. The 40-year-old “Nightmare” had it quite bad, enduring a hospital stay for blood clots and pneumonia.

This week, it was revealed that his TUF castmate Chris Leben suffered a similar fate. The 41-year-old shared a brief health update via a recent Instagram post.

“So I’ve been in the hospital since Tuesday,” Leben wrote. “I went in after a cough and shortness of breath I developed after Covid. I’m not one to bellyache to the world. But if you haven’t seen me at the gym or around that is why.

“And if you can shoot some positive vibes my way other than that I don’t really wanna say much until we know exactly what’s going on,” he concluded.

Leben went on a four-fight skid in the UFC from 2011 to 2013 before announcing his retirement from professional competition. He returned to action as a bare-knuckle boxer in 2018 and has since compiled a 3-1 record.

His last fight took place in February 2021 against Quentin Henry and won via first-round KO. He subsequently announced his second retirement after the bout.

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Milan Ordoñez
Milan Ordoñez

Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments.

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