It’s been 15 months since flyweight contender Ian McCall has been in the cage, and due to a series of injury issues, it’s entirely possible he may not be able to fight again.
The 31-year-old discussed his issues recently in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, and though he’s hopeful he can one day fight again, the future remains uncertain.
“Just to put it in perspective, I have two bulging discs in my neck and then I have the four-part surgery on my shoulder, I fractured and dislocated my elbow, I got three surgeries, two breaks [in my hand], and I’ve had an infection in this arm,” McCall said. “So my arm doesn’t work so well. Like, right now, my hand’s kind of numb.
“I just have to be realistic,” he continued. “My body isn’t working very well. I do still train. I train every day, I teach every day. I still beat up on everybody. I just have to take it slow. I don’t know if my body can handle another training camp, because I train hard. Like everybody else, I train really hard. I also train very smart, but I just have a tendency to break. I’ve made peace with it – that I might never fight again – [but] do I want to fight? Of course. I want to fight. I would like nothing more than to fight, but I have to be realistic about it.
“I have a child. I have a life. My brain still works, so I’m just, you know, taking my time. If it takes until summer, if it takes until next year, if I never fight again, whatever. I’ve accomplished a lot. That’s a drug that is hard to come by, is performing in front of an audience like that. I want nothing more than that, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”
McCall has fought just six times in four years with the UFC, winning just two of those bouts to go along with three decision losses (to now champ Demetrious Johnson and top contenders Joseph Benavidez and John Lineker), and a majority draw in his first bout with “Mighty Mouse.”
Penick’s Analysis: The rash of injuries he’s had in the past and that he’s currently enduring has to be disheartening. It’s extremely unfortunate he’s been unable to get healthy, and it’d be a shame for him to be forced out of the sport because of it. Hopefully he’s able to get over the hump in recovery to get himself back in the cage.
[Photo (c) Jayne Kamin-Oncea via USA Today Sports]
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