Tag: Chris Leben

Unfortunate circumstances: 15 unforeseen injuries that ended UFC main events

Injuries are part of the game in MMA, but there’s nothing worse than one ends a marquee UFC fight.

While the term “freak injury” might not be appropriate to use when discussing a sport that is inherently dangerous, 14 UFC main events have ended in unforeseen injuries – broken legs, separated shoulders, eye pokes, etc. – that don’t typically come in the sequence of MMA combat.

Scroll below to see a chronology of UFC main events that ended in that nature.

Note: Injuries sustained on a TKO due to strikes or tapout due to a submission are not included, nor are retirements on the stool due to extended fight damage or exhaustion. Laceration-based stoppages also are not included since they come as an intentional result of the opposition’s attack.

UFC veteran Jimmie Rivera officially signs with BKFC, expected to debut on May 6

Former UFC bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera will test his skills in bareknuckle competition.

Bare Knuckle FC has officially announced the signing of another former UFC fighter.

As previously reported, bantamweight competitor [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] was expected to join the promotion following his exit from the UFC. On Monday, BKFC announced via press release that pen has been put to paper, and Rivera is now set to make his debut with the promotion at BKFC 25 on Friday, May 6. The event will take place in Orlando, Fla., and Rivera’s opponent will be announced in the coming days.

Rivera has been fighting in the UFC since 2015, where he fought 11 times against the best in the bantamweight division, in addition to one fight at featherweight. He now joins a number of former UFC fighters to make the switch to bareknuckle competition, including [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag], [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag], [autotag]Rachel Ostovich[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Leben[/autotag], [autotag]Hector Lombard[/autotag], and more.

During his best stretch under the UFC banner, Rivera won five straight, picking up consecutive wins over Marcus Brimage, Pedro Munhoz, Iuri Alcantara, Urijah Faber, and Thomas Almeida. At UFC Fight Night 131, he competed in the lone main event of his run with the promotion against Marlon Moraes, which unfortunately did not go in his favor.

Rivera’s last victory with the promotion came on short notice in the featherweight division, where he outpointed Cody Stamann in a hard-fought 15-minute battle.

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Chris Leben, still hospitalized with COVID-19 issues, vows return to full health

Former UFC fighter Chris Leben posted an update from a hospital bed and said he is planning to make a full recovery after fighting COVID-19.

Former UFC fighter [autotag]Chris Leben[/autotag] posted a new update from a hospital bed late Sunday and said he is planning to make a full recovery after fighting COVID-19.

Leben, a cast member on the first season of the “The Ultimate Fighter,” shot a selfie video from the hospital and showed his oxygen levels climbing up after it had been lower when he used the restroom. Leben’s breathing is labored in the video, and he has a breathing tube in his nose.

“I feel pretty good,” Leben said in the video posted to Instagram. “I’m off all the other things. I’ve got non tubes in my body right now – the only thing is this oxygen. … They did say 100 percent recovery is possible, and I think that’s what’s going to happen.

“… I’m still alive, man. I’m still here. And for that, I’m so grateful – the fact I get to fight my way back to 100 percent health. That I have that opportunity is such a blessing.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaOVQBpFgGs

The 41-year-old Leben first posted two weeks ago that he had been hospitalized nearly for a week with complications from COVID-19. Leben has not said if he has been vaccinated against the virus.

Leben is the second member of the original “TUF” cast to be hospitalized for post-COVID issues. “TUF 1” middleweight winner Diego Sanchez was open about his battle with COVID-induced health issues in November that landed him in the hospital. Sanchez recovered and has a March fight scheduled against Kevin Lee under the Eagle FC banner.

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Former UFC fighter Chris Leben hospitalized for breathing issues post-COVID

Chris Leben is asking fans and followers for “positive vibes.”

Notable UFC alumnus and “The Ultimate Fighter 1” cast member [autotag]Chris Leben[/autotag] has been hospitalized for breathing issues following a battle with COVID-19.

In an Instagram post Sunday, Leben revealed his six-day-and-counting hospitalization in San Diego, shed some vague light on his issues, and asked for “positive vibes.” The write-up was accompanied by an image of Leben’s legs, in a hospital gown, hooked up to a monitor.

“So I’ve been in the hospital since Tuesday,” Leben wrote. “I went in after a cough and shortness of breath I developed after Covid. I’m not one to bellyache to the world. But if you haven’t seen me at the gym or around that is why. And if you can shoot some positive vibes my way other than that I don’t really wanna say much until we know exactly what’s going on”

Leben, 41, has not given an update since the post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZpP7unJTcg/

Leben is the second member of the original cast of the monumental reality series “The Ultimate Fighter” to be hospitalized for post-COVID issues. “TUF 1” middleweight winner Diego Sanchez was open about his battle with COVID-induced health issues in November that landed him in the hospital. Sanchez, 40, is seemingly doing much better now and even has a March fight scheduled against Kevin Lee under the Eagle FC banner.

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BKFC ‘KnuckleMania’ results: Chris Leben retires from combat sports with wild KO win

“The Crippler” says his combat sports career is over following a first-round knockout win at Bare Knuckle FC “KnuckleMania.”

[autotag]Chris Leben[/autotag] says his combat sports career is over following a win over Quentin Henry at Bare Knuckle FC “KnuckleMania” on Friday.

Leben, who appeared on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and has a lengthy and memorable UFC career, transitioned to bare knuckle fighting after retiring from MMA and had some solid moments.

He got one final high in his light heavyweight fight with Henry, earning a first-round knockout victory at the event in Clearwater, Fla. in what was deemed as his farewell fight from combat sports.

Leben got the upper hand early in the fight, connected with an uppercut that damaged the left eye of Henry, who went down claiming an eye poke. Replays showed Leben landed a clean punch. The bout was restarted shortly thereafter, then the pair brawled it out.

In the midst of the exchange, Leben landed a pair of powerful left hands that hurt Henry and put him down for the 10 count, marking the knockout at the 1:07 mark of Round 1.

After the fight, Leben confirmed he wouldn’t go out any other way.

“What a (expletive) way to finish a career right there, huh?” Leben said in his post-fight interview. “I wanted someone who was going to swing like a mother(expletive) at me, and what a way to finish a career. Thank you to Quinten and to BKFC. … If I had some gloves on, I would leave them in the ring.”

Leben, 40, had a 3-1 record in BKFC. In MMA, Leben (22-12) was the inaugural WEC middleweight champion, and his noteworthy wins include Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

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Paige VanZant’s Bare Knuckle FC debut is at ‘Knucklemania’ on Super Bowl weekend

BKFC’s first “Knucklemania” card will feature both Paige VanZant’s debut and the return of Chris Leben.

“What’chu gonna to do when PVZ runs wild on you, brother?”

OK, [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] hasn’t actually cut a promo imitating Hulk Hogan, but she may as well have after the official announcement of her first fight in Bare Knuckle FC.

As first surfaced last week, the former UFC star will make her debut against Britain Hart on Feb. 5. Now we have a venue – RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Fla. — and a name. While previous BKFC events have used a numbered convention, this one will be called “Knucklemania.”

“Since we signed Paige Van Zant in August it’s been the talk of the combat sports world,” BKFC president David Feldman said in a statement. “We’re very excited to announce her BKFC debut against a very tough fighter, Britain Hart, headlining our biggest event of the year, ‘Knucklemania,’ on February 5 in Lakeland, two nights before the Super Bowl in nearby Tampa.”

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Two more fights were announced for the card featuring names familiar to MMA fans: “The Ultimate Fighter 1” veteran [autotag]Chris Leben[/autotag] will fight Quinten Henry at 205 pounds, and “Brutal” [autotag]Johnny Bedford[/autotag] takes on Dat Nguyen for the BKFC bantamweight title.

Fans will be admitted to the event, with a press release stating COVID-19 protocols, include social distancing, will be implemented.

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