MMA News: UFC 221 suspensions
What’s the story?
As reported by The Underground, the medical suspensions in the aftermath of UFC 221 have now been revealed.
Apparently, both main-event participants could potentially be out of action for six months. Besides, several other fighters could also face lengthy suspensions—with the respective suspension holding up if they aren’t cleared by a qualified medical professional for the same.
In case you didn’t know…
Yoel Romero faced Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC 221, with the interim UFC Middleweight Championship at stake.
While Rockhold made the 185-pound weight limit, Romero failed to do so, owing to which the latter was ineligible to be awarded UFC gold. Romero knocked out Rockhold with a couple of vicious left hands in Round 3 of their bout which was scheduled for five rounds.
The heart of the matter
While Yoel Romero sustained what appeared to be a leg injury, Rockhold was the recipient of a possible concussion and took significant damage in his KO loss to Romero—with both fighters likely serving six-month suspensions.
Meanwhile, despite defeating legendary KO artist Mark Hunt by way of Unanimous Decision at UFC 221, Curtis Blaydes sustained considerable damage by way of Hunt’s punches in the first round and is facing a possible six-month suspension. Below is the comprehensive list of UFC 221 medical suspensions—
Yoel Romero: 180 days suspension or clearance by orthopedist, 30 days minimum
· Luke Rockhold: 180 days suspension or dental clearance
· Curtis Blaydes: 180 days suspension or clearance by orthopedist, 30 days minimum
· Mark Hunt: 45 days suspension due to left ear laceration, 30 days no contact
· Tai Tuivasa: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Cyril Asker: 45 days suspension due to TKO, 30 days no contact
· Jake Matthews: 45 days suspension due to right eyebrow laceration, 30 days no contact
· Li Jingliang: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Tyson Pedro: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Saparbek Safarov: 30 days suspension due to TKO, 21 days no contact
· “Maestro” Dong Hyun Kim: 180 days suspension or clearance by orthopedist, 30 days minimum
· Damien Brown: 45 days suspension due to eyebrow laceration, 30 days no contact
· Israel Adesanya: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Rob Wilkinson: 180 days suspension or clearance by OMF or ENT, 60 days minumum, 30 days no contact
· Alex Volkanovski: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Jeremy Kennedy: 45 days due to TKO, 30 days no contact
· Jussier Formiga: 45 days suspension, 30 days no contact
· Ben Nguyen: 45 days suspension, 30 days no contact
· Ross Pearson: 45 days suspension for dental evaluation
· Mizuto Hirota: 30 days suspension, 21 days no contact
· Jose Quinonez: 180 days suspension or clearance by orthopedist
· Teruto Ishihara: 7 days mandatory minimum suspension
· Luke Jumeau: 180 days suspension or clearance by orthopedist
· Daichi Abe: 45 days suspension due to hard bout
Furthermore, one ought to note that the aforementioned suspensions could be reduced, provided that the fighters get their respective clearance from a medical professional.
What’s next?
Yoel Romero is presently lobbying for a UFC Middleweight Championship fight between him and current titleholder Robert Whittaker, in Miami, Florida—with the bout expected to take place later this year.
On the other hand, Luke Rockhold is contemplating a move to the Light-Heavyweight division after going 1-2, with two KO losses, in his past three bouts in the Middleweight category.
Author’s take
Honestly speaking, Luke Rockhold is a talented young lad, and ought to take the rest of 2018 off—not only due to his beat-down at the hands of Yoel Romero but also considering the gruelling sparring wars he partook in while preparing for the UFC 221 fight, at Henri Hooft’s gym.
Meanwhile, Curtis Blaydes—one of the top Heavyweight prospects in the world today—has been hinting at a move to Bellator MMA if he doesn’t receive a better contract from the UFC. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.
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