The unforgiving nature of mixed martial arts is one of the biggest reasons why fighter pay is such a big issue. While some veterans had careers spanning up to 15 years, many are forced to quit or spend prolonged time periods on the bench.
While the UFC does cover medical procedures for injuries one receives in the cage – it’s not much of a comfort knowing you’ll be sidelined for a year in the best case scenario. Especially if you’re finally starting to move up in the ranks and get closer to a title.
UFC’s Aleksandar Rakic had something like that happen to him when his ACL collapsed during his bout against Jan Blachowicz last weekend. To Blachowicz’ credit he was very nice about it and had given the ref the time to call the fight without Rakic taking unnecessary damage. He even offered words of support afterwards – but nevertheless Rakic was devastated after dissolving into tears.
Recently released backstage video showcases Rakic limping to the locker room and being comforted by his cornermen.
The Austro – serbian had previously blown his left knee so he likely knows what kind of a recovery time he’s looking at.
On the bright side – the light heavyweight division seems to be at a standstill with the most interesting competitor – former champion Jon Jones transitioning to heavyweight. If you ask us, it’s a missed opportunity that Paulo Costa opted to stay at Middleweight.
As for Rakic, he’s likely to be sidelined for a year. Times like these showcase the strength of an athlete’s character. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery.