(photo via UFC.com)
Season 12 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series Jonathan Brookins (12-3) is healed and ready to make his return to the Octagon this fall.
Brookins had been scheduled to fight Saturday night at the “TUF 13 Finale” against fellow lightweight Jeremy Stephens but a broken orbital bone, suffered in training, forced him off of the card. The “TUF 12″ winner says he’s all healed up and is looking for his next fight on the UFC Battle on the Bayou event in New Olreans this September.
UFC Battle on the Bayou (aka UFC Fight Night 25) is expected to take place on Sept. 17 in New Orleans, Louisiana. No venue has been identified for the event at this time.
Speaking to MMAWeekly.com, Brookins talked about his injury and his need to get back into the Octagon for his next fight.
“I broke my orbital in my eye so they wouldn’t let me fight, cause it kind of messed up my face a tiny bit, but it didn’t affect me too bad other than the fact that I couldn’t fight and I couldn’t really spar. It took the full contact part out of the equation, which is pretty necessary. That was a bummer…”
“Health wise I’m good. It’s looking like I’m going to be fighting Sept 17, I look forward to that. Sept 17 in Louisiana, Battle on the Bayou. I suspect they wanted to test me in the first one, so I imagine they’re still wanting to test me with a good opponent.”
“It’s started to ache me to the core that I’m not fighting,” Brookins said. “This is the longest that I’ve ever had without a fight. It really motivates me to kind of get a handle on things and press forward in a positive way.”