"I lost movement on my left side. I think a lot of people didn't know how to explain what it was, so they talked about the esophagus and all of that but it was an injury to my neck. There were talks that I could've been paralyzed... In the ambulance, the guys were trying to put an IV in my arm, and I wouldn't even feel it because I couldn't feel my left side, so I was scared my career was over at that moment."
Charles Oliveira experienced a career-threatening neck injury during his first fight against Max Holloway in 2015. After an attempted takedown in the opening round, Oliveira lost sensation and movement on his left side, with medical personnel initially diagnosing an esophageal tear. The injury was severe enough that Oliveira could not feel an IV being inserted in his arm during ambulance transport, leading to fears of permanent paralysis and career termination. Despite these grave concerns, Oliveira recovered and went on to become UFC lightweight champion. The two fighters now rematch at UFC 326 on March 7 in Las Vegas, with Holloway defending his BMF title against Oliveira.
Read at Sherdog
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