Stipe Miocic stopped Gabriel Gonzaga’s win streak, and the Brazilian will have to wait a little longer before getting back inside the Octagon.
Following a unanimous decision loss to Miocic at UFC on FOX 10 in Chicago, Ill., “Napao” will have to go under the knife to fix his right hand, which he broke in the first round of the fight.
“I came back to Boston and I’m going to the hospital tonight to schedule the surgery,” Gonzaga told MMAFighting.com on Monday. “I’ll talk to the doctor today and get an answer (on when I’ll be able to return to training).”
After a good start in the fight, Gonzaga started fading, giving an opportunity for Miocic to dominate the action and win the decision.
“I was hesitating to throw other punches and take him down,” said Gonzaga, when asked how his broken hand forced him to change the game plan. “I was hesitating to go for it or not. I didn’t know I broke my hand, but it was hurting a lot, so you think twice before throwing the punch.
“The fight was as I expected in the striking area, but I couldn’t take him to the ground. He was getting back up too easily.”
Gonzaga, who was 4-1 since returning to the UFC in 2011, turns 35 in May, and he knows he has moved a few steps behind in his run towards another shot at the title.
“I’m back to the end of the line,” he said. “Now, I have to work to get back on track.”