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<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=448126" target="_blank">
Lauzon: Injuries suck
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<p>This week Joe Lauzon was forced to withdraw from his UFC 180 bout with Diego Sanchez. Just a day later Sanchez also withdraw with an injury. Fans on social media responded with disappointment, with some questioning the injuries, but Lauzon penned a blog today explaining his situation and asking fans to think how much more disappointing it is for the athletes involved:</p>
I have been training for close to 15 years… and I have dealt with a LOT of injuries. I think as your knowledge of the sport grows as a coach and competitor, so does your knowledge grow of dealing with and training around injuries. At this point in my life, its not IS something going to hurt today but WHAT is going to hurt the most and how am I going to train around it.
Its important to understand the difference between being injured and being hurt. Every fighter on the UFC roster, is constantly HURT. Hurt is what we call those nagging injuries that just never seem to heal and constantly flare up and inevitably get worse as soon as camp starts. Sore knees, ankles, hands, neck, back, etc. What would stop most people in their tracks, we push through because we always have fights coming up to get ready for.
Anyone who competes knows he's right about being "hurt". I'm just some hobbyist who's only competed in grappling comps 3 or 4 times, and each time I was "hurt". Can't even imagine what it is like for a guy at Lauzon's level. But still, it does seem like a lot of mma fighters are constantly getting injured. I wonder how the (training) injury rate compares to other combat sports like boxing? Does anyone know?
JudOWNED - Anyone who competes knows he's right about being "hurt". I'm just some hobbyist who's only competed in grappling comps 3 or 4 times, and each time I was "hurt". Can't even imagine what it is like for a guy at Lauzon's level. But still, it does seem like a lot of mma fighters are constantly getting injured. I wonder how the (training) injury rate compares to other combat sports like boxing? Does anyone know?
It's easier to not get hurt just boxing... Or just grappling... It's when you start putting things together it becomes tough.
"This is a REAL contact sport… and injuries happen. We can try to lessen them… but they will never go away. When the New England Patriots have a player go down with an injury, the game still goes on and the team still plays… but that player still has am injury that has sidelined him for a long time. We are the entire team in our sport… so when we get injured, its over."
Couldn't agree with Joe more. Even if Tom Brady goes down, the game goes on. The scope if MMA is so much smaller than team sports. One guy goes down and it can put the entire card in jeopardy. Rarely do we see legit smite back ups crowd pleasing enough to compare to the original bout.
There was a recent thread that questioned more fighters pulling out of their bouts due to UFC health insurance coverage. If the UFC can keep their fighters as healthy as possible, wouldn't that actually reduce the number of injuries, long term?
Thanks Joe. I can definitely see how that would be the case. Although, not having seen any stats, it's possible that boxers get injured training just as much.
I think part of the reason fans get upset with injuries is related to the 'hurt/injured' statement. Because everyone that is fighting is broken in one way or another it is easy to say 'Why did fighter A pull out when fighter B fought through it?'. The bigger issue seems to be when a fighter pulls out in what is perceived as a suspect moment. With UFC's insurance policy, important fights getting cancelled, lots of news about PED's and such people start putting on their tin foil hats. Joe is a good example of someone that no one would accuse of gaming any kind of system and is a good reminder that yeah injuries just suck sometimes.
Great read. It is so easy for us fans to get frustrated for canceled fights but it must be hell for the fighters themselves. Damn I am so glad that I haven't experienced bigger injuries myself yet. Cant even imagine the horror when something goes wrong and fighter is wondering how bad it is
