The Vegas 54 main event ends in an unfortunate fashion for Aleksandar Rakic. The UFC fans were expecting full 5 brutal rounds, however, they end up facing a TKO at the start of the third round.
This is Rakic’s return to the octagon after a whole year of pause. And it seems like a perfect match-up. The two rivals are promising a great action. This is supposedly the best match-up in the light heavyweight division.
Aleksandar Rakic Will Undergo Surgery After UFC Vegas 54
The fight starts aggressively, both fighters are wanting the win badly. But after two very active and aggressive rounds, Rakic falls to the ground with a torn knee. The fight ends with a TKO.
Even though it looks like Jan caused the TKO by his leg kick, it is not like that. Rakic exchanges several shots with his rival and as soon as he takes a step back he is overthrown to the ground by his torn ligament in the knee. He suffers ACL or anterior cruciate ligament injury. The referee immediately stops the fight and proclaims Blachowicz a winner by a TKO.
Only five days pass since the fight and for this time Rakic undergoes an MRI check and it confirms what he initially suspects. He tore the ACL in his right knee. This is a serious injury that requires intensive medical attention and surgery. Sources close to the fighter are confirming that he already is on his way back to Austria to schedule a surgery. His manager also reveals that after he had a conversation with the medical team, he is hoping that the surgery will happen as soon as possible. Since the more he waits, the more it can get complicated.
In any case, this is a serious injury that requires a long time to recover. It is expected that in order to be fully recovered, Rakic will need between six months to one year. So we can conclude that we will not see Rakic in the octagon in the following year.
This is not the first time that the fighter had this injury. He reveals that during his training for the fight, he sensed that something is not right three weeks before the fight. However, he decides to ignore it and continue with the fight in any case. His will to fight surpasses the fear of serious injury. And as anyone would expect, this is the outcome. For his next fight, he will need to wait a whole year.
“God had other plans for me Saturday night. Sometimes we need to lose small battles in order to win the war. Win or lose, good or bad the experience will change you. One thing I promise you, I will be back better than ever! This is not over yet, unfinished business UFC rematch! I waited for you to heal, now you wait for me to heal. Let’s run it back!” – Rakic says on Instagram.
We wish him a speedy recovery and a fast comeback. He certainly has a lot to offer to the UFC’s public.
