Entertainment
Ben Askren Emotional Over Life-Changing Year, 2026 Will ‘Look Different’
Ben Askren
Reflects On Life-Changing 2025
… Moving In A ‘Positive Direction!!!’
Published
TMZSports.com
Ben Askren‘s life turned upside down in 2025 … he battled severe pneumonia that resulted in a 59-day hospital stay and a double lung transplant … but thankfully, he tells TMZ Sports he’s going into the New Year moving in a “positive direction.”
The former MMA star said at times it feels like his health scare was a “bad dream.” While there’s not much he remembers from those days … he says there are still lessons to take away from the whole ordeal … citing a book called “Finish Empty” by Josh Metcalf, which gave him a good perspective.
“I kind of died once, you know, like for all intents and purposes, left Earth for 40 days,” Askren said. “I had no real communication to anyone. I had no recollection of anything. So I get to kind of reflect on like, okay, had I not woken back up? How do I feel about what I did prior to this time?”
The 41-year-old said he felt really proud of it all … and acknowledged that while there are things he plans on changing … he looks forward to acting on those lessons learned towards his 2026.
So, what’s next for Ben Askren?
Well, there isn’t much lined up right now — but as he continues to get healthy — he believes he can finally start to work on making plans.
TMZSports.com
“They are going to look significantly different,” Askren said. “For example, I can’t go to the wrestling tournaments with my kid, you know, my own biological children. I would like to, which would be very normal. So it’s going to look different. But I feel like I’m finally at that point where I can kind of take a deep breath and easily accomplish the things I need to in the day.”
One thing that is in the books for him is Real American Freestyle, the org. co-founded by Hulk Hogan, and we dive into the first year for RAF … and what’s to come!!
Zohran Mamdani
Sworn In as NYC Mayor in Midnight Ceremony
Published
Zohran Mamdani is officially New York City’s mayor and he kicked off his historic term in unconventional fashion.
The 34-year-old was sworn in just after midnight Thursday in a private ceremony administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The oath took place at the old City Hall subway station, one of the city’s original stops.
The ceremony made history, with Mamdani becoming NYC’s first Muslim mayor. He was joined by his wife, Rama Duwaji. A larger, public ceremony is scheduled for later Thursday at City Hall, where Mamdani will be formally introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Bernie Sanders is also expected to attend.
Mamdani won the mayoral race in November, defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. While critics labeled him a “communist,” Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, aligning himself politically with Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez.
In his election-night speech, he promised to confront oligarchy and authoritarianism “with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves.”
Mamdani’s swearing in marked the end of Eric Adams‘ single term as mayor.
Jeffrey Epstein Files
Congressman’s New Year’s Resolution:
It’s Time to Name Names!!!
Published
One of the members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee that’s been releasing photos and documents from the Jeffrey Epstein estate has a New Year’s resolution for the Epstein Files … he wants to totally expose and put away the pedophile’s enablers.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from Virginia who sits on the committee, tells TMZ … “My New Year’s Resolution for the Epstein Files is to get the files released, name names, and let the courts and the court of public opinion judge those who perpetrated, covered up, and enabled these crimes so that they never happen again.”
BACKGRID
And Subramanyam says Ghislaine Maxwell is one of their targets … despite her currently serving a 20-year sentence in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking minors and other federal charges. He says Maxwell “should absolutely be held accountable for all the crimes she committed, including newly discovered crimes.”
As you know, there’s already been a bunch of files released, but it slowed to a crawl during the holidays … though Subramanyam tells us things are going to pick up in 2026.
The congressman tells us … “Our Committee is going to work in tandem with victims and other groups to move swiftly as soon as we are back in session next week.”
So far, we’ve seen a few famous faces in photos from the Epstein Files … including Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker, Richard Branson, among many others.
There’s a lot more disclosure coming … the U.S. Department of Justice says the FBI and Attorney for the Southern District of New York have given them OVER A MILLION new documents to “review for release.”
Zohran Mamdani Sworn In as New York City Mayor
Feds are hunting teenage hackers
CEOs say they’re unplugging by cancelling meetings and playing with Legos over the holidays
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