Former UFC star Ben Askren was deeply emotional as he addressed his serious health battle for the first time … saying the experience was almost like watching his own funeral.

The 40-year-old shared a video from his hospital bed on Wednesday … saying he doesn’t remember anything that happened in the entire month of June, but after reading his wife’s journal, he understands his experience was nothing short of a movie.

Askren said he “only died four times” as he dealt with severe pneumonia, which required a double lung transplant.