Junior dos Santos clinched the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA heavyweight championship title with a robust knockout of Alan Belcher, marking a big victory. Nevertheless, dos Santos endured vital facial harm through the bout.
Whereas grappling with Belcher towards the cage early within the battle, dos Santos managed to interrupt free however was met with a punch that severely displaced his nostril. All through the rest of the match, the previous UFC heavyweight champion soldiered on with a visual facial laceration and a nostril that was displaced in a number of locations.
Dos Santos vividly remembers the second of affect, but surprisingly, he skilled no instant sensation of ache. In his interview with MMA Combating, dos Santos recounted the incident.
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“The one punch that actually related on me was the one which broke my nostril. When he broke it, I felt it. You’ll be able to see within the video, I felt my nostril go to the aspect [of my face] and I stated, ‘Oh my gosh, I broke my nostril!’ I didn’t really feel something however, ‘I broke my nostril once more!’ Damaged nostril, quite a lot of blood, and it makes a really bloody battle, however that was it. It was bothering me slightly bit as a result of I couldn’t breathe by the nostril anymore, however we dealt with it very, very effectively.
“That was loopy. You’ll be able to see clearly, truly I do know the second — he threw a hook whereas I’m on the cage and I form of pulled again and the hook solely related on the nostril. I didn’t really feel something however I felt that [the nose] go to the aspect and I stated, ‘Oh no, once more?’ Then I used to be having hassle respiration by the nostril. I stated OK, I’ll breathe by the mouth, it’s regular.”
Remarkably, this was the fourth occasion of dos Santos breaking his nostril, however the first time it occurred throughout a battle. Regardless of his intensive fight sports activities profession spanning almost 20 years, dos Santos had by no means encountered a damaged nostril within the midst of a bout. However, drawing from previous experiences helped him confront the problem posed by Belcher’s punch, which hindered his respiration.
“The opposite thrice — two of them have been in coaching, the primary time and the third. The second time, the physician broke my nostril as a result of he was fixing it, but it surely didn’t work out as a result of the second time he fastened it, I broke it once more. I stated I’m not going to repair it anymore till after I cease preventing. So now was the fourth time I had my nostril damaged.”
“I didn’t really feel something. I simply felt prefer it was to the aspect and I stated, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to should breathe by my mouth now.’ However perhaps the expertise introduced me one thing constructive about it as a result of if I by no means had my nostril damaged, I might get too excited or perhaps quite a lot of concern or no matter. As a result of I already knew methods to cope with that, I stated let’s go. I didn’t really feel something when it bought damaged with the punch, he related solely on the nostril. After they put it again, it went again to the precise place, I didn’t really feel something too. It was straightforward. Perhaps I used to be too warmed up, which was good as a result of I don’t like feeling ache.”
Within the aftermath of the battle, after the physician as soon as once more put his nostril again in place, dos Santos instantly began feeling higher. Days later, he was respiration usually once more.
As a result of his nostril has been damaged so many instances, dos Santos understands there’s an excellent probability it might occur once more, however that’s additionally why he’s determined to not endure any surgical procedures to restore the harm accomplished till his profession is over.
“The physician was telling me, ‘Oh my gosh, your septum is so tousled, we’ve bought to do surgical procedure or one thing.’ I stated, ‘Don’t fear, physician, it’s been like that for years already. ‘Don’t fear about it.’”
“The way in which it’s now is identical because it was earlier than. I can breathe very effectively by the precise aspect, and [the left side] is slightly tougher to breathe, however [the right] is nice. So let’s preserve that for slightly bit extra.”
Regardless of the bodily toll, dos Santos discovered solace in his overcome Belcher, achieved by a dominant show of punches within the second spherical. This victory holds specific significance for the 40-year-old veteran, who endured setbacks and a prolonged hiatus as a consequence of a shoulder damage earlier than returning to competitors in September. Now on a two-fight profitable streak, dos Santos seems to be ahead to resuming his endeavors as soon as his nasal accidents have totally healed.
“It feels very particular. I’m feeling nice. I’m feeling prefer it’s new starting for me once more. The way in which I can see the fights now and I’m dealing with myself, not simply bodily however mentally, going into the fights — with all of the fights, I’m doing that significantly better. Even through the battle, after I broke my nostril, I’m lastly having enjoyable through the fights. I’m actually having fun with my fights, as a result of I by no means did earlier than.”
“As a result of all my fights earlier than, I used to battle myself earlier than the battle. Now, with the expertise I’ve, I’m not placing strain [on myself] anymore. I’m simply going there to placed on an excellent efficiency and to placed on an excellent present for all of the followers on the market. Issues have been in a totally completely different means for me. I’m actually having fun with it, I’m having enjoyable.”
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