L. Good reveals he has contracted coronavirus. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @lymangoodmma
Ultimate welterweight (up to 77kg), Lyman Good confirmed that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19. The athlete, who would participate in the UFC 249, which was supposed to take place on April 18, but ended up being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, had left the card, citing an injury, but now, he preferred to reveal the real reason.
See too
“Although I said that (leaving the card) was due to an injury, it was actually because I tested positive for the coronavirus. As soon as I found out, I let everyone know. As fighters, we are used to training anyway. If we catch a cold or have an injury here or there, we train to deal with it. At first I thought that was it. My body wasn't listening, it wasn't responding the way it normally reacts in training,” he said in an interview with 'ESPN'.
Lyman explained why he chose to keep the diagnosis secret (from the press and fans). According to the athlete, at the time, he and his team believed that, in that circumstance, it was better not to allow room for possible hysteria, as the disease has been causing panic around the world with thousands of confirmed deaths.
“We didn’t want to fuel the fear, the tension that is engulfing our society right now,” Good said.
The welterweight, however, made a point of informing that he has recovered from the illness. The fighter also took the opportunity to raise awareness among fans about the dangers of the disease.
“There is a pandemic. It's a real thing. I just want everyone to know that I'm much better now. In the end, it was a risk we were willing to take. As a fighter, I knew what the risks were. Unfortunately, it is what it is. It happened,” said the American.
When he began to feel symptoms of COVID-19, Lyman revealed that he decided to test himself to ensure the safety of those around him, both during training and at home. The fighter then took the test, which confirmed the contamination about a month ago.
“I thought I should make sure I'm sick or not, also for the safety of my coaches. My coach showed up every morning for my training. My teammates, my family and everyone else. Really, what I had in mind was the safety of others. God forbid that they get it, that they spread it, and that someone else gets very sick. I would feel responsible”, he revealed.
Without taking any more risks, Good then stated that he is ready to resume his career as a fighter.
“I was out of action for a while, but I'm ready to return”, he concluded.
Lyman last performed in November of last year, at UFC 244, when he defeated Chance Rencountre via knockout. The fighter, today, has five fights for Ultimate, totaling three wins and two losses.
One of the setbacks suffered by the North American occurred in a clash against Demian Maia, in February last year, at UFC Fortaleza.
Comments