Oh boy, did you hear? After the dust settled on UFC on ESPN 54 last Saturday, a whopping ten fighters got slapped with indefinite suspensions. Yep, you read that right. The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board was busy on Monday, churning out a full list of medical timeouts. The event itself? It went down at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey. And let me tell you, it was something.
The main event had everyone on the edge of their seats. Manon Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield went head-to-head, with Fiorot snagging a unanimous decision victory in the flyweight showdown. But victory comes at a cost, folks. Fiorot’s right arm? Yeah, it’s on the bench until an orthopedic doctor gives the green light. Minimum downtime? Sixty days, no punches thrown. Blanchfield didn’t walk away unscathed either. Thirty days off for facial cuts.
But wait, there’s more. Nine other warriors from the event are in the same boat, stuck waiting for doctor’s orders. Chris Weidman needs a head CT scan. Bruno Silva’s left eye got him on the list. Sedriques Dumas, Herbert Burns, Connor Matthews, Ibo Aslan, Anton Turkalj, Andre Petroski, and Angel Pacheco – they all need various clearances from neurologists to orthopedists.
Now, not everyone’s licking their wounds. Five fighters managed to escape the medical suspension net. Quite the lucky bunch, huh?
Let’s dive into the details, shall we? Manon Fiorot’s on the bench until her arm’s checked out, with a two-month no-contact rule. Erin Blanchfield’s got 30 days to heal those facial lacerations. Joaquin Buckley, Vicente Luque, and a few others have their own timeouts, ranging from a week to 45 days for various reasons.
Chris Weidman’s in limbo until his head’s deemed okay, with a 30-day no-contact rule. Bruno Silva’s eye needs an all-clear from an ophthalmologist, also with a 30-day no-contact condition. Sedriques Dumas, Bill Algeo, Rhys McKee, Nate Landwehr, Jamall Emmers, Lupita Godinez, Herbert Burns, Connor Matthews, Ibo Aslan, Anton Turkalj, Jacob Malkoun, Andre Petroski, Caolan Loughran, and Angel Pacheco – each has their own tale of recovery and restrictions.
So, what’s the takeaway? The octagon’s no joke. Every fighter puts it all on the line, and sometimes, it’s their health on the line post-fight. Here’s hoping for speedy recoveries all around. Stay tuned for more updates, and maybe, just maybe, try not to wince too much thinking about those injuries. Ouch.