Former UFC titan David “Tank” Abbott, who also competed for both Strikeforce and PRIDE FC, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) following a technical knockout loss to Ruben Villareal back in early 2013.
Now 54, the former pro wrestler is recovering from last year’s liver transplant and making appearances like the one at Starrcast this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he snapped a pic with former UFC champion, Cris Cyborg.
“My body finally caught up with all of my wild life,” Abbott told The Hannibal TV last December. “Blew a gasket on my liver, but I got a nice transplant and everything is moving right along. It was not without complications, though. I died five times on the operating table, had over six strokes, but I’m still here. This is the hardest fight I’ve ever had. I spent 107 days in the intensive care unit.”
The power-punching Abbott (10-15) has one of the most eclectic resumes in the history of cage fighting, throwing down against the likes of Kimbo Slice, Vitor Belfort, and Kimo Leopoldo, just to name a few.
Non-MMA fans would probably recognize him (based on his name, not the above pic) from that episode of Friends, where he beat the shit out of the guy who directed Iron Man.
Safe to say the years have not been kind to the UFC fighters of his era.