Dominick Reyes feels incredibly fortunate. He’s still here, breathing and alive, after a brush with something that could’ve ended it all.
He was all set to throw down with Carlos Ulberg from City Kickboxing on March 30. But fate had other plans.
Turns out, Reyes had to back out. A simple massage meant to ease his calf pain unveiled a scary truth. He was battling deep-vein thrombosis blood clots in his leg.
“Life’s a rollercoaster, huh?” Reyes mused during a chat with MiddleEasy. He and Ulberg were initially gearing up for a January 20 showdown. Then, Ulberg had to step back due to an undisclosed injury. “And just when you think it’s your turn to step up, life throws you a curveball. Blood clots, man. Deep vein thrombosis. So, yeah, I’m benched for a bit.”
The situation’s got Reyes on a strict regimen of blood thinners. No gym, no training, nothing strenuous for three whole months. Frustrating? Absolutely. But he’s just happy to be here.
“I’m counting my blessings,” he admitted. “Caught it before it turned into a pulmonary embolism. Can you believe it? All because I thought I pulled a muscle and got a massage. Worst decision ever. I’m just lucky I didn’t end up dying right there on that massage table.”
Reyes, at 34, is in a tough spot career-wise. He’s hit a four-fight losing streak since November 2022. After a controversial unanimous decision loss to Jon Jones, things haven’t looked up. He’s faced defeats against Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Ryan Spann – all finishes.
Life’s unpredictable, isn’t it? One minute you’re gearing up for a comeback, the next you’re fighting for your life. But that’s the fight game for you. Full of ups, downs, and everything in between.