After Wanderlei Silva, another UFC lawsuit plaintiff blames severe brain trauma for unemployment, bouts of paranoia, and more
The ongoing UFC antitrust lawsuit has seen another former fighter come out with a concerning health update regarding his brain. The plaintiff in question is Shane Carwin, whose official statement was shared on X/Twitter by seasoned MMA journalist Josh S. Nash.
As Carwin's statement reads, he has suffered from significant brain trauma, which has impacted his quality of life. He detailed battles with mood swings, depression, and even addiction, among other difficulties.
"While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries, including concussions. I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including addiction, depression, mood swings and irritability."
Moreover, Carwin, a former UFC interim heavyweight champion, also pointed to scientific evidence of his allegations, which mirror those made by legendary MMA fighter Wanderlei Silva.
"Cognitive tests conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Concussion Legacy Foundation at Boston University (among others) are indicating that I have suffered damage to the pre-frontal cortex and left hemisphere. I spend days in bed suffering from bouts of paranoia, fear, and anxiety. I have been hospitalized twice to treat addiction and have been part of other medical studies studying TBI."
The totality of these health-related issues is so extreme that, despite holding an engineering degree, he is unable to return to a normal office job. Thus, the proposed settlement for the antitrust lawsuit would lead to a transformative, positive change in his life.
UFC CEO Dana White recently dismissed similar concerns about Power Slap
At the UFC 307 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White fielded the typical range of questions from MMA media members. However, one instance led to an interesting exchange during which a reporter informed White of doctors' brain health-related concerns regarding Power Slap.
Naturally, a defiant White was quick to attempt to discredit the aforementioned doctors, whose observations determined that Power Slap athletes likely suffer from concussions.
"They watched one episode of the show, know nothing about medicals or what we do or any of the studies we've done. Sounds like these typical doctors that look for attention to me."
Check out Dana White's reaction to Power Slap health concerns (7:51):
This isn't the first time that Power Slap has drawn criticism for the brain health of its athletes, and it won't be the last time that White defends the promotion amid controversy.