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Fighting in the UFC is a potentially life-threatening profession. Every time a combatant sets foot in the octagon, they’re risking all manner of injury at the hands of their fellow, elite-level fighters.
While we’ve all seen gruesome wounds and setbacks take place in a fight, what we don’t always catch is what goes on off-screen. Several huge-name UFC fighters over the years have found themselves in mortal danger outside of the octagon.
Coming face-to-face with situations even scarier than getting punched or choked out, these fighters nearly lost their lives. From horrific freak accidents to adventures gone wrong, here are three UFC legends who suffered near death experiences:
#3. Former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn
Take it from the UFC’s second ever two-division champ, pools can be dangerous. As if the former UFC lightweight kingpin’s 2020 car crash wasn’t bad enough, this year saw him get nearly devoured by a “wave pool engine room”.
Trapped, BJ Penn had to time his breaths with the machinations of the room’s wave functions. Every time the room filled up to the top, Penn had to hold his breath for dear life. Given the fearsome nature of the situation, Penn feared for his life, knowing that if someone didn’t come along soon, it could be lights out for him.
By the time he was freed from the room near the back of the pool, Penn had suffered several facial injuries, cuts, bruises and a grim sinus infection. The infection proved so severe that ‘The Prodigy’ needed to embark on a three-week course of antibiotics to be free of it.
Fortunately for the mystery pool in question, Penn has since confirmed he will not be pursuing any legal action.
BJ Penn detailed the ordeal in a lengthy Instagram post:
#2. UFC welterweight veteran Donald Cerrone
Ever the daredevil, Donald Cerrone’s adrenaline junkie ways outside of the octagon have come back to bite him more than once. The most dangerous of the lot wasn’t even the crash that caused him to lose several inches of his large intestine.
The nearest to being fatal incident for the ‘Cowboy’ was his horrific crack at cave diving in Cozumel. He went cave diving with an old friend who wound up growing anxious after losing his bearings. The line the two were on came under heavy stress as Cerrone’s buddy panicked and started to lose control.
In total darkness beyond the lights from their watches, Cerrone struggled to locate his ailing friend. With no sense of where the exit from the cave may be, the UFC veteran grew worried when he realized he was swimming against the current. Moving about blindly, Cerrone eventually made it to the ceiling of the cave, all the while struggling with a severe anxiety attack.
It soon dawned on him that he had less than an hour of air left, at which point this botched adventure could become the death of him. Lost and confused, Cerrone found himself traveling in bleak, frustrating circles for some time as the precious oxygen ticked away.
Eventually, with little time to spare, Cerrone and his friend found their way out of the scariest situation of their respective lives. Astoundingly, despite the near fatal consequences of his accident-prone expedition, Cerrone confirmed to Joe Rogan he will eventually cave dive again.
When discussing his thought process and the fears of having to leave a final note for his wife and children, Cerrone said:
“The inner me, the fighter: ‘You figure it the f*ck out.’ But was I going to write a letter? I was f*****g damn close to writing a letter.”
You can check out Cerrone's recounting of the incident here:
#1. Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes
One of the most impressive welterweights in UFC history, Matt Hughes’ life took a shocking turn in 2017. The former welterweight champ was on death’s door after a horrific crash in which his pick-up truck was rocked by an oncoming train.
Due to a lack of railroad crossing signs, Hughes was oblivious to what was incoming during his drive home. The severely injured Hughes was rushed to hospital where doctors placed him in a medically-induced coma for 19 days.
Among the many injuries sustained, Hughes suffered a brain shear, the damage of which has ensured he remembers nothing from the day of the accident. In the years since, Hughes has fought through suicidal tendencies and reduced motor skills to get himself back on track.
In September 2019, Hughes moved forward with suing Norfolk Southern Railway and a selection of its employees due to his life-altering crash.
In 2021, the hard-hitting ‘Gracie Killer’ (the second fighter to enjoy that nickname after Kazushi Sakuraba) goes to the gym frequently and has improved leaps and bounds in all areas health-wise. The UFC legend’s miraculous road to recovery is a testament to his strength and resolve.
