UFC fighter Josiah Harrell to undergo surgery for rare brain disease after being forced out of debut - "The UFC insurance cannot cover me"
Josiah Harrell is set to undergo surgery for a rare brain disease that was detected just days before his promotional debut at UFC 290 last July against Jack Della Maddalena. Harrell had stepped in as a replacement for an injured Sean Brady but couldn't compete due to his pre-fight medicals detecting Moyamoya.
Moyamoya is a rare cerebrovascular disease that is classified as a chronic and progressive condition of the arteries in the brain. Those affected suffer from a narrowing of blood vessels that leads to blockages and can eventually cause strokes, aneurysms, and seizures.
This past November, Harrell set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for his surgery, which will take place tomorrow at the Moyamoya Center at Stanford Health Care in California, as per MMA Junkie. The UFC fighter required $80,000 upfront before he was able to go ahead with the surgery.
In a recent update on his medical status on GoFundMe, 'Muscle Hamster' revealed that the UFC's insurance didn't cover his expenses and wrote:
"The UFC insurance cannot cover me... Just got updated today. Got withheld information for about six months. Will update you asap."
While Harrell may not have received the money via the GoFundMe crowdfund, he's still going under the knife in less than 24 hours. As for why the UFC insurance didn't cover his medical expenses, the fighter revealed that it was due to his condition being congenital in nature.
Replying to a fan comment on an Instagram post, Harrell explained why the promotion couldn't help him and wrote:
"Thank you boss. Last time I heard their insurance denied me since I was born with the disease instead of getting it from a fight. Win some, you lose some, either way I appreciate you."
Check out Josiah Harrell's statement below:
A "grateful" Josiah Harrell reflects on being diagnosed with Moyamoya
While news of Moyamoya being detected in an MRI scan would scare most people, Josiah Harrell chose to take it positively and is looking forward to living life without any disease limiting him.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, the undefeated 25-year-old prospect opened up about his thought process after being delivered the news and shared his reaction. Stating that he's been on an emotional rollercoaster since the diagnosis, he said:
"A part of me is excited and grateful because if I was living my whole life with limiters and restricted blood flow and only half of my brain, what can I do with my full potential?... So a part of me is ego involved, and a part of me is just grateful that I had the opportunity... I’ve got mixed feelings, long story short."
Watch the full interview below: