Professional sports careers are marred with a multitude of injuries. Often times, the athletes are forced to suffer from their effects for years after their time competing is over.
The controversy surrounding brain injuries has jumped to the forefront …
Professional sports careers are marred with a multitude of injuries. Often times, the athletes are forced to suffer from their effects for years after their time competing is over.
The controversy surrounding brain injuries has jumped to the forefront in recent years. Mixed martial arts is not without its own concerns for head injuries. This is why the slow return of T.J. Grant is a positive move, not only for his career, but for future fighters who are dealing with serious head injuries.
For those of you who may have forgotten, T.J. Grant was, at one time, the No. 1 contender to the UFC lightweight title. After defeating Gray Maynard at UFC 160, Grant was slated to face then-champion Benson Henderson at UFC 164. Instead, Grant suffered an injury that forced him from the card.
The UFC would then give Grant a second opportunity to fight for the title. This time he was placed against Anthony Pettis for UFC on Fox 9, but again he would be put on the shelf because of a continued battle with post-concussion syndrome (via Sherdog). Nearly 17 months after his last fight, there still isn’t a timetable for Grant’s return.
“It’s definitely difficult,” Grant told Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie. “The whole year’s been difficult. Being a professional fighter, you need to be at another level and I’m optimistic going forward that I’ll get better.”
While it is obviously hard for Grant to sit on the sideline while his peers compete, doing so is the best step for his long-term health. Across sports, there are multiple stories of athletes being more aware of the serious nature of head injuries. Sidney Rice, age 28, became the most recent player to step away from the NFL at a young age due to multiple bouts with concussions (via SB Nation). As more information emerges about the potential for long-term damage from concussions, time has become a vital component to the care of athletes who sustain these injuries.
In a sport that involves such violence as mixed martial arts, Grant is taking the right steps to protect his health. Missing a year of competition is a tough position for any fighter, however Grant could sustain further damage that will not only end his career, but harm his personal life as well.
“I could fight tomorrow – I just know it wouldn’t be good for my long-term health,” Grant continued in his interview with MMA Junkie. “Physically, I can do everything I need to, it’s just my brain. I want to make sure that’s OK, because it’s a lot more important than the other stuff. I know I can fight. I just want to be smart about it.”
Mixed martial artists are in a tough position when it comes to dealing with concussions. Time away from fighting means a loss of money and big opportunities in the future. However, rushing back has the potential to damage their health beyond repair. T.J. Grant has sat out for more than a year and while his career may suffer, his health—which is the most important factor—will benefit.
UBERLANDIA, Brazil – News that Anderson Silva was hobbled by severe back pain during a jiu-jitsu session may have caused some concern among fight fans. But the former UFC middleweight champion will resume training in just over a week, and he remains on…
UBERLANDIA, Brazil – News that Anderson Silva was hobbled by severe back pain during a jiu-jitsu session may have caused some concern among fight fans. But the former UFC middleweight champion will resume training in just over a week, and he remains on schedule for his Jan. 31, 2015 fight against Nick Diaz at UFC 183, his personal doctor told UFC.com.br. In an exclusive interview, Silva’s coaches and the Brazilian Athletic Commission doctor, Dr. Marcio Tannure, said the training incident that sent Silva to a Rio de Janeiro hospital for an exam and treatment is not serious, and will … Read the Full Article Here
Anderson Silva sustained a scare on Monday when the former UFC middleweight champion felt severe back pain after training jiu-jitsu in XGym Academy in Rio de Janeiro.
Hobbled by what he described as lower back pain, Silva reported that he could not fe…
Anderson Silva sustained a scare on Monday when the former UFC middleweight champion felt severe back pain after training jiu-jitsu in XGym Academy in Rio de Janeiro.
Hobbled by what he described as lower back pain, Silva reported that he could not feel his legs. He was transported to Barra D’Or Hospital, where he underwent several exams.
Silva was diagnosed with lumbago (pain in the lumbar region) by orthopedic spine specialist Dr. Sergio Gurgel, Combate.com reported.
The former king of the middleweight division has a history of back pain and this is not the first time he has sustai … Read the Full Article Here
A world-renowned athlete in mixed martial arts – a sport contested in a fenced ring and made famous by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – the Englishman has been a plasterer, postman, tiler and DJ.
But after years of barely being able …
A world-renowned athlete in mixed martial arts – a sport contested in a fenced ring and made famous by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – the Englishman has been a plasterer, postman, tiler and DJ.
But after years of barely being able to pay his bills, Bisping can now make hundreds of thousands of dollars in one night inside the UFC’s Octagon.
Just don’t call it a cage.
“You’ll never hear me call myself a cage fighter. I detest the term. I’m a mixed martial artist – I’m not a thug. This is a lifetime’s work,” Bisping, 35, tells BBC Sport.
Read the Full Interview. Read the Full Article Here
Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao will make his return to the Octagon on Dec. 20 against Canadian Mitch Gagnon in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway. It will be quite the step up in competition for Gagnon, who will se…
Former UFC bantamweight champion RenanBarao will make his return to the Octagon on Dec. 20 against Canadian Mitch Gagnon in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway. It will be quite the step up in competition for Gagnon, who will see an even more motivated and angry Barao on fight night.
A vengefulBarao is looking to make a statement to the mixed martial arts world after he was thoroughly outclassed, and finished, by current champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 173. Things went from bad to worse when Barao fainted on the day of weigh-ins prior to his rematch with Dillashaw just three months later. Now, the Brazilian must regroup and channel his frustration towards Gagnon, who is 4-1 in the UFC.
“My preparation is going great,” BaraotoldSherdog.com’s GleidsonVenga. “I train three times a day and hope to give 100 percent so that everybody will keep talking about the fight. I hope they’ll enjoy it.”
Barao, the former pound-for-pound king of the 135-pound weight class, fell from grace just as he was beginning to establish a dominant legacy in the Octagon. The 27-year-old was riding a 16-fight win streak prior to his UFC debut. Barao was thrust into the spotlight with little to no experience fighting in a top promotion—he only fought twice in the WEC—but was a force in his native country of Brazil.
The Nova Uniao team member’s striking is a spectacle to watch. Similar to his teammate, Jose Aldo, Barao mixes up his punches well with deceptive spinning back kicks and crippling leg kicks. He’s also got the killer instict; when he smells blood in the water, it’s lights out for his opponents. For a 5’6″ bantamweight, Barao‘s reach is an impressive 70 inches.
His competitors are normally goaded into a stand-up exchange, partly because of his reach, which Barao uses to dictate the pace of the fight, but also because of his elite takedown defense. Prior to his bout with Dillashaw, Barao had stuffed 17 of 17 takedowns coming his way for a whopping 96 percent takedown defense percentage.
Barao‘s reign at the top of the 135-pound division was short but sweet. After winning the interim title, in Dominick Cruz’s absence against Urijah Faber, Barao went on to defend the strap three times, including once more vs. Faber. His run included finishes of Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland and Faber.
Like every human, even a top-level UFC fighter can experience a sudden downfall. While not the most marketable or talkative fighter, Barao was part of the new wave of Brazilian mixed martial artists. Along with former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos and Aldo, Barao was the last of his young countrymen to win a title, and nearly the last one to lose it.
Aldo is the last one left standing, with Barao forced to answer the questions that followed his UFC 177 weigh-in debacle, which cost him an immediate chance of putting the memory of a one-sided title defense loss behind him.
Four months is the amount of time between his missed opportunity and a chance at silencing critics on UFC Fight Night. The man he is up against, Gagnon, has only lost once in the Octagon, which came against bantamweight contender Bryan Caraway in his UFC debut. Since the loss, Gagnon has went on to steamroll his way through the division, with all three of his finishes coming in the first round.
The 30-year-old, who began his MMA career six years ago, sports solid wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills—he’s a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu—but also displays great power in his hands. A funny fact about Gagnon: he has only fought in his native country of Canada because of his visa issues. The Canadian will be traveling to hostile territory this winter when he heads south of the equator to Barueri, Brazil, to tangle with Barao.
Gagnon presents a unique challenge to Barao. He is the first southpaw fighter Barao has faced in the UFC. This can potentially alter Barao‘s game plan for a couple of reasons; one, because he will need to be wary of the well-timed straight left and, two, because of the left head kick. Don’t let his three submission wins fool you; Gagnon is a more-than-capable striker.
He dropped Walel Watson, via a left hook, before securing an easy rear-naked choke. Note: Gagnon has rarely, if at all, fought in the southpaw stance in the UFC but has prior to his time with the promotion.
Like Barao, Gagnon possesses excellent takedown defense and striking defense. Make no mistake about it, when the two battle in Brazil, it’s going to be a stand-up affair. With the pair boasting takedown defensive percentages upwards of 85 percent, it’s unlikely this fight will go to the ground.
Barao is a black belt in BJJ and has only been taken down once in his WEC/UFC career. Gagnon was neutralized by the grappler Caraway back in July 2012, but outside of his debut, he has shown great activity while on his back.
“I definitely think I can (submit Barao),” Gagnontold MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “I will put the pressure on him and if he makes any mistake, I’ll definitely [be] getting a submission.”
If the pressure is on any fighter in this tussle, it’s Barao. Figuratively speaking, if he was to lose this bout against a 15th-ranked bantamweight contender, Barao‘s collapse would rival that of the 2004 New York Yankees. One would start to question his desire, motive to fight and overall work ethic. Thankfully, it’s not Dec. 20 yet.
A win for Gagnon could rocket him into the top 10 of the bantamweight division, or at least have him teetering on the outside of it. Gagnon has a skill set that can cause problems for the former champion. He has also performed well against fighters who have a 70-inch reach or greater, but he has yet to face anyone who is as fast and as technically sound as Barao.
Barao is now in a logjam atop the bantamweight ladder, with Cruz set to fight for the title next year and Raphael Assuncao waiting for his shot. Assuncao defeated Dillashaw previously at UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Shields. With a renewed focus and a noticeable mean streak, it’s up to Barao to put away this would-be challenger and assert himself back in the mix.
The entire MMA community participated in a collective groan when Anderson Silva first broke his leg on Chris Weidman’s knee at UFC 168. We followed up with a synchronized sigh of concern as many of us figured the greatest fighter of all time would no l…
The entire MMA community participated in a collective groan when Anderson Silva first broke his leg on Chris Weidman’s knee at UFC 168. We followed up with a synchronized sigh of concern as many of us figured the greatest fighter of all time would no longer be.
Fast forward 10 months and the Spider is putting on the finishing touches on his rehabilitation and gearing up for what could be a blockbuster fight against Nick Diaz. As of the start of this month, this would have left Silva with seven fights left in his contract with the UFC. Closing in on 40, few of us actually believed he’d be able to make it through the remainder of his contract.
For reasons unbeknownst to those on the outside, Dana White and friends signed Silva onto an a new contract—a 15-fight new contract. Even if Silva managed to stay healthy and active enough to fight three times a year—something he hasn’t accomplished since 2008—he’d need to step into the Octagon until he was five years shy of 50.
But far be it for us to assume anything less than amazing of the Spider, though. He’s been the most exciting fighter the sport has ever seen for the last eight years now; we’d be foolish to turn him away from an opportunity to silence any of the FedorEmelianenko, Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones supporters as he cements his legacy as the greatest of all time.
So, just as we’ve done for the last eight years of Silva’s UFC career, let us boundlessly enjoy his talents inside of the cage. Here are 15 fights we’d love to see Silva take with his new UFC contract.
(Note: the fights are listed in no particular order).
Former UFC bantamweight champion