WATCH: TJ Dillashaw’s HORRIFYING shoulder dislocation explained by the UFC’s ringside physician David Abbasi
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(Left) Dr Abbasi and (right) Dillashaw
The co-main event for UFC 280 between TJ Dillashaw and Aljamain Sterling was tough to watch right from the start. In the opening 30 seconds of the fight, Dillashaw would dislocate his left shoulder, trying to defend a takedown. However, despite this, he’d keep on fighting, in no small part due to his corner’s ability to put his shoulder back in place. Now UFC doctor, David Abbasi has come out and explained what exactly went wrong with Dillashaw.
Dillashaw’s first title shot in over 4 years ended in disaster as the formerly disgraced champion was dominated throughout by the reigning, Aljamain Sterling. A huge reason for that was Dillashaw dislocating his shoulder, rendering much of his offense futile. After the fight, it would become public knowledge, via Dillashaw’s post-fight interview that this was in fact a lingering injury and he had dislocated his shoulder over 20 times during the camp.
“Usually when the bone pops out of the socket, it’s hanging out of the front of the socket and they try to pull traction to pop it back in”, said Abbasi explaining what the former champion’s team was trying to do. Abbasi then explained that the ringside doctors are allowed to let the fight continue, despite such a grave injury only if the “Corner’s able to pop it back in,” citing that if the doctors were to intervene, the fight would immediately be called off.
Abbasi then said that the sheer number of times TJ Dillashaw dislocated his shoulder during camp indicated that he definitely needs surgery. “He likely will need an operation called labral repair, to re-stabilize his shoulder,” said Abbassi that without it, the shoulder was destined to keep dislocating.
TJ Dillashaw is not alone in the first-round shoulder dislocation club
Shoulder dislocations are not that uncommon in MMA. Apart from Dillashaw, another fighter of note to suffer the same fate during a fight recently was Bellator;’s grassroots Project, Aaron Pico. However, his injury became more known for his corner’s exaggerated attempts to pop his shoulder back in place.
Pico would lose the bout against Jeremy Kennedy after suffering the shoulder injury in the very first round, leading it to be declared a TKO victory for Kennedy.
In The UFC, Jamahal Hill seemingly suffered a dislocated shoulder against Paul Craig while trying to escape an armbar attempt. He would shortly lose the bout via TKO, however, his corner was able to pop back his shoulder into its place a few moments before the final results were read out
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)