Ben Askren On Lung Transplant List Amid Pneumonia Battle

Ben Askren's wife just provided an update amid the former UFC star's serious health issues ... revealing he has been placed on a lung transplant list.

Amy shared the news on her Facebook ... asking fans to "pray he can get stronger and stay stable while he waits, and they find an amazing match for him and he accepts it smoothly."

As they work to find a potential match ... Amy said his other organs are "ok" and "there is a path forward."

"While he is having more periods of awareness, he's not able to look at his phone yet and respond to messages," she wrote. "I am hoping he can get there in the next week or two! Also hoping we will get to a place soon where he can talk while on a trach."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, she did share a light-hearted moment that happened on Monday ... saying Ben mouthed a request for a cup of coffee -- which she said is, unfortunately, not an option for him right now.

The 40-year-old was hospitalized earlier this month ... after developing a case of pneumonia following a staph infection.