Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin revealed that he is suffering from symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
Retiring from the sport in 2011 following back-to-back losses against Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos, Carwin is part of the class action lawsuit against the UFC that alleges the promotion gained an unfair advantage in the industry through years of anticompetitive tactics and engaged “in a scheme to acquire and maintain monopsony power in the market for elite professional MMA fighter services.”
Other fighters named in the suit include Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, Brandon Vera, and Kyle Kingsbury.
After more than a decade, a settlement between the UFC’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, and the plaintiffs of Le v. Zuffa appears to be on the horizon. Per a report from ESPN, TKO will pay $375 million in the class action lawsuit, $40 million more than the proposed $335 million settlement that Judge Richard Franklin Boulware II of the U.S. District Court of Nevada rejected in July.
MMA journalist John S. Nash revealed on X that a Plaintiffs’ memorandum has been submitted which includes declarations of support from more than 50 involved fighters in the case. One of those includes Shane Carwin who revealed in his statement that he is suffering the symptoms of brain damage from his day as a UFC fighter.
“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries, including concussions,” the document reads. “I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including addiction, depression, mood swings, and irritability. Cognitive tests conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Concussion Legacy Foundation at Boston University (among others) are indicating that I have suffered damage to the pre-frontal cortex and left hemisphere.
“I spend days in bed suffering from bouts of paranoia, fear, and anxiety. I have been hospitalized twice to treat addiction and have been part of other medical studies studying TBI. To date, no treatment for CTI has been found.”
Carwin goes on to reveal that despite having an engineering degree, he has been unable to hold down a job and as a result, is struggling to afford everyday needs like food, shelter, and transportation.
If the proposed settlement is approved, it could prove to be “life-changing” for Carwin and other members of the suit who find themselves in a similar situation.
Shane Carwin retired from the UFC after 14 career fights
A former NCAA Division II champion, Shane Carwin went 12-2 in his mixed martial arts career with six of those fights coming inside the Octagon. He won four-straight in the UFC, capturing the interim heavyweight title in the process.
He came up short in his unification clash with Lesnar at UFC 116, suffering a second-round arm-triangle submission loss. He followed that up with a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of ‘JDS’ before retiring from the sport altogether.
