After UFC 187 Loss, John Makdessi Undergoes Jaw Surgery, Ponders Future

John Makdessi, the lightweight fighter who lost by TKO to Donald Cerrone Saturday at UFC 187, underwent surgery to repair his fractured jaw, even as he wondered about his future as a fighter.
Makdessi’s manager, Hector Castro, confirmed the operation w…

John Makdessi, the lightweight fighter who lost by TKO to Donald Cerrone Saturday at UFC 187, underwent surgery to repair his fractured jaw, even as he wondered about his future as a fighter.

Makdessi‘s manager, Hector Castro, confirmed the operation was a success in a report published Monday evening by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting.

“John is very emotional right now,” Castro said, according to the report. “He is very upset with his performance. He wanted to put on a better show for the fans but will bounce back from the experience stronger.”

It is unclear how long the injury might keep Makdessi on the sidelines. His jaw will be wired shut for six weeks, during which time he will be forced to stick to an all-liquid diet.

In a message posted on Makdessi‘s official Facebook page, the 30-year-old Canadian wrote that he was unsure about his next step.

In regards of my career I’m 30 years old now I’ve been competing since the age of 6 and turned professional at the age of 23 … I have to be smart I take to [sic] many risks fighting bigger guys, but I know it’s a business no ego involved. This fight I took a lot of damage. Never in my life took so much damage. Have to sit down with myself do a lot of thinking a lot of healing and see what I’m going to do next. 

Known for possessing legitimate knockout power despite being relatively small for the 155-pound lightweight division, Makdessi (13-4) took the fight with Cerrone on short notice after original opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrew because of a knee injury sustained in training. The fight came less than a month after Makdessi‘s previous fight, a first-round TKO win over Shane Campbell.

The 6’1″ Cerrone held substantial height and reach advantages over the 5’8″ Makdessi. A series of brutal punches, knees and kicks led to the jaw fracture, and in turn led Makdessi to verbally retire at the 4:44 mark of the second round.

After the win, UFC officials indicated that Cerrone may be in line for the next shot at lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Cerrone has now won eight straight fights, with his last loss, interestingly, coming to dos Anjos back in 2013. 

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