Demian Maia explains injury that took him out of UFC FN 49: 'Health comes first'

Demian (photo) is hospitalized after suffering a bacterial infection. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook

For the first time since arriving in the UFC in 2007, Demian Maia was forced to withdraw from a fight due to injury. The São Paulo native, who would face Mike pyle at UFC Fight Night 49, in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA), he detailed the injury that postponed his 20th fight inside the octagon.

The former middleweight title challenger said that the problem started last week and worsened over the following days. “At the end of last week I suffered an injury to my right shoulder, a bone edema, and this injury ended up serving as a facilitator for an infection in the same shoulder due to staph [staphylococcus], a strong bacteria, and after attempts at treatment there was no alternative other than hospitalization”, explained the fighter, in his account on Facebook.

Maia stated that, in order to reduce the potential risks of infection, he will remain admitted to the hospital for a few more days. “If this bacteria is not controlled quickly, it can spread to other parts of the body, and even vital organs and cause even more serious problems. I'm reacting well to the effects of the treatments, but I'm still in the hospital for a few more days, with heavy medication in my veins and then taking antibiotics until close to the day of the fight, which would become complicated and dangerous with the weight loss. and everything else”, he detailed.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the seventh-ranked welterweight said he tried until the end to stay on the UFC Fight Night 49 schedule. “This would be my 20th fight in the UFC and I have never been absent from any fight at the event before. . It was a very difficult decision, and we tried until the last possible moment to stay on the card. Unfortunately it was not possible, and I respect my team's decision and thank the UFC for their understanding, as my health had to, of course, come first,” he explained.

Finally, Maia gave a message to her fans and apologized for what happened, including Pyle, who will now face Jordan Mein at the event. “I appreciate your messages of support, and I apologize to everyone who was looking forward to the fight, and to the Mike pyle by the situation. I've been on the other side, I know how difficult it is, and I'm happy that he's still fighting on the card and hasn't 'wasted' all his training,” he said.