Deron Winn pulls out of UFC Vegas 66 after fainting and falling down stairs at UFC Performance Institute

Modified Dec 15, 2022 22:21 GMT

Deron Winn before fighting (Image via Getty)

Deron Winn has been forced to pull out of his fight against Julian Marquez after a freak injury.

UFC Vegas 66 fight week is here, and Winn vs. Marquez has been scratched last minute. The American Kickboxing Academy fighter was training at the UFC Performance Institute when tragedy struck.

He fainted while walking on stairs, leading to a concussion. The 33-year-old middleweight explained the situation on Instagram by saying:

“Yesterday at the UFC PI, I fainted and had a freak accident. I fell down the stairs, hit my head and neck pretty hard. Sustained a mild concussion. They rushed me to the hospital and ran a bunch of tests on me. The majority of the tests came back normal, so I’m thankful for that…”

Winn concluded by saying:

“Since I suffered the concussion, the UFC and medical has decided to pull me from my fight this weekend. I am devastated. I have put so much work in these last couple months. I hope to rebook soon. Sorry to my opponent and sorry to all have invested into me this camp. I’m heartbroken. Love all of you who support me.”

Winn’s 2022 has gone from bad to worse. The 33-year-old suffered a brutal loss against Phil Hawes in June, where he sustained a concerning amount of damage. He looked to end the year on a positive note against Marquez, but the unpredictability of being an MMA fighter has struck again.

Check out Deron Winn's official statement on Instagram below:

Fans show support for Deron Winn after suffering a mild concussion

Deron Winn has struggled in the UFC since winning his promotional debut against Eric Spicely in June 2019. Since then, the AKA fighter has lost three of his four fights. After being pulled from his fight only days before UFC Vegas 66, fans showed support on his Instagram, with some saying:

“Oh s**t, that's awful news, glad you're otherwise okay.”

“Daayum. Get well man. Sorry to hear that…”

“Your health comes first. Wishing you a speedy recovery”

“Maaaan I’m so sorry to hear that bro!! Heal up man”

“Bump in the road - you will be back ! Feel better”

Winn had decent expectations after signing with the UFC due to his wrestling background and affiliation with AKA. Although he’s shown flashes of potential, the 33-year-old is arguably undersized for the middleweight division. With that said, his story in the UFC is not done being written.