UFC flyweight contender Ian McCall (13-5-1 MMA) may never fight again.
The 31-year-old, known as “Uncle Creepy”, was a recent guest on The MMA Hour and told host Ariel Helwani that his body is just “banged up” and that he would likely not make it through another training camp. His words:
“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 told Helwani. “So my arm doesn’t work so well. Like, right now, my hand’s kind of numb.
“I just have to be realistic. 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.”
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He continued:
“I have a child. I have a life,” McCall said. “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.”