Former UFC fighter Chris Leben released from hospital after post-COVID-19 health scare

Former UFC fighter and “The Ultimate Fighter,” Season 1 standout Chris Leben is back home.

After a week-long stay in a San Diego hospital, Leben announced Friday in a tweet he was recently discharged. His good news comes a little over one month after he was admitted Feb. 1 for lingering breathing issues that followed a battle with COVID-19.

In the days that followed, Leben shared his slow-but-sure health rebound with the world. Initially, he struggled to walk, with multiple tubes stemming out of his body and into beside machines. On Feb. 21, Leben shared that he was still struggling, but that an oxygen nasal cannula was the only remaining tube.

In the update Friday, Leben thanked the outpouring of support from fans, friends, UFC president Dana White, and Twitter user @Dr_Octagon, who frequently updated social media followers about his status during his hospital stay. The written portion accompanied a video in the tweet of Leben, who still appears to be on oxygen, tossing his son at home.

“I called on you from the spirit world and you delivered,” Leben wrote. “To ALL my friends ⁦@danawhite⁩ ⁦@dr_octagon⁩ and all the fans who supported me. I AM GRATEFUL  Time to live, time to fight, time to love. TIME FOR 272!! Lfg!”

Daddy’s home. Thank you ⁦@JDS1974SD⁩ I called on you from the spirit world and you delivered. To ALL my friends ⁦@danawhite⁩ ⁦@dr_octagon⁩ and all the fans who supported me. I AM GRATEFUL Time to live, time to fight, time to love. TIME FOR 272!! Lfg! pic.twitter.com/WLLXD9OtuA

— Chris Leben (@ChrisLebenMMA) March 4, 2022

Leben, 41, last competed in combat sports in February 2021 for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) where he defeated Quentin Henry by knockout in 67 seconds. He announced his retirement following the bout. “The Crippler” also served as a licensed MMA referee for the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) from 2018-2019.