Life can be fickle – a fusillade of misfortune alleviated by the occasional lapping of prosperity. Felicity can capsize into misery in the blink of an eye, regardless of who you are; fate doesn’t favour royalty over rags. We hear too few tales of those indomitable souls who inch through the tunnels of despair, never losing hope of the intangible sunlight.
Now imagine a mixed martial artist finding themselves similarly adrift – their life is a ritual purging and they must endure beatings in front of screaming hordes before they are rewarded. The bane of every fighter is injury; for them, the body is the end-all and be-all.
It is the weapon that their surgical minds wield and use to overthrow opposers and that which keeps them fed and clothed.
Physical trauma is the worst thing that can happen to a fighter and there are so many examples of promising careers turned to dust after being pitted with injuries. Former Bellator champion and current UFC middleweight Hector Lombard said himself that it is miracle that he and his family survived a ghastly car crash this week.
The 39-year-old Olympian was unscathed and the mishap will not cost him precious time before he is able to Octagon again. But there have been incidents of those who weren’t as fortunate as him:
#7 Scott Rogan
35-year-old Scott Rogan may not have made the mark he intended to in the sport, but the outpouring of grief at his funeral was a symbol of what he meant to his near and dear ones. In April 2015, the Newcastle native’s motorbike cannoned into a car; the driver escaped harm, but Rogan succumbed to his injuries.
A well-travelled fighter, Rogan’s larger-than-life persona was infectious – his girlfriend described him as a hulking softie. Before his untimely death, Rogan was giving back to the MMA community by training fighters in Dubai and Newcastle.
#6 Casey Suire
Casey Suire personified the expression “it’s never too late to follow your dreams”. A country boy from Louisiana, Suire worked in the oil business, a trade which took him all over the world. While on an assignment in Indonesia, he was introduced to the sport by an Australian kickboxer.
The fuse lit at 32, Suire started training in BJJ but honed his striking enough to win both his professional boxing tilts. Suire proved to be a natural, winning his first five fights before being submitted by Mark Striegl, who is one of the hottest prospects in Asian MMA, not to mention 16 years younger than him.
Another stoppage loss ensued, but Suire regrouped and ground out a decision win in August 2016. This February, just a month after celebrating his 40th birthday, Suire died after his motorcycle was hit by a car.
The universe’s twisted sense of irony was evident, because, in Suire’s own words, it was his sister’s death in a similar accident that was the impetus for him to live life to the fullest.
#5 Emanuel Newton
There are numerous stories of mixed martial arts rescuing troubled souls from a toxic life, none of which are uninspiring. But Emanuel Newton’s case might be the most literal of them all.
In 2007, Newton, who was on his motorcycle, was racing a car which veered out of control and bumped him. At a speed of 240 km/hr, that slight nudge catapulted him to the ground. Newton showed miraculous presence of mind by using his wrestling training to roll away from his skidding bike, but not before breaking many bones in his arm.
But the worst was yet to come – complications from the surgeries forced doctors to almost amputate his arm and they gave him zero hope of returning to the cage. A little over a year later, Newton came roaring back and won both his first two fights since the accident.
“The Hardcore Kid” exorcised the ghosts of the tragedy by becoming Bellator Light Heavyweight champion in 2014 and seared his name into fans’ memory with two spinning back fist KOs.
#4 Darrell Horcher
Darrell Horcher is living proof that a helmet can make all the difference between life and death. Last May, the 29-year-old UFC Lightweight’s motorcycle was blocked by a jeep and he screamed a mind-boggling 240 feet on the road before coming to a stop.
He showed foresight wished by many people around the world who’ve grieved over a loved one lost to automobile tragedies. Horcher’s manager, Brian Butler, admitted that it was the helmet that saved his life.
With a broken ankle, torn ankle ligaments and massive scraping of the skin, Horcher considers himself very fortunate. Pennsylvania should take a leaf out of places with better road safety regulations and make helmets mandatory.
#3 Wanderlei Silva
The MMA fraternity’s heart skipped a beat last May when it was learnt that Wanderlei Silva had been struck by a car while cycling home from training in his hometown of Curitiba. According to a man who came to Silva’s aid, it seemed as though “the Axe Murderer” had crossed over to the other side before rushing back to consciousness.
The helmet that inarguably saved Silva’s life was cracked in two and the worst of it? The offender sped off in the blink of an eye. In Silva’s own words,
“I could have died if I weren’t using a helmet. That made me rethink my life and made me grow a lot. Live well because it’s over soon. God bless you -- and if you’re riding a bike, use a helmet because we never know when we’re going to need it."
The PRIDE legend underwent shoulder and knee surgery and is eyeing a comeback, in Bellator.
#2 Jose Aldo
The biggest harm that came when Jose Aldo’s bike collided with a car, which was cutting across him, was the cancellation of his super fight with then 155-lbs champion Frankie Edgar. Aldo escaped with some bruises and a hurt leg and Anderson Silva and Stephan Bonnar saved the main event of UFC 153.
Fans who were disappointed at the lost opportunity later got to see both do battle at UFC 156. Aldo actually attempted to continue training with his injured leg but was stopped by his manager, Andre Pedernairas, who also forbade him from riding a motorcycle ever again.
#1 Frank Mir
In 2004, it seemed as though Frank Mir’s life was touched by an angel. He had just executed one of the most memorable submissions in UFC history on Tim Sylvia and was atop the Heavyweight division. In just a few days, he was about to be married to the love of his life. In one fateful moment, it all turned into a nightmare.
His motorcyle struck a car and Mir was flung 80 feet from the spot. His femur was snapped, his knee was mangled and a toe had to be sewn back onto his foot. After seventeen months of rehabilitation, a diminished Mir couldn’t script a triumphant return and was handed a TKO loss by BJJ ace Marcio Cruz.
But Mir wouldn’t be denied a fairytale comeback as he regained the belt that the accident snatched from him by being the first man to KO Big Nog.
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