Reigning ONE bantamweight MMA world champion Fabricio Andrade has shed light on the severity of the injury that hampered him during his bout against Jonathan Haggerty at ONE Fight Night 16.
Rarely seen on the defensive, particularly in striking exchanges, the Brazilian standout had established himself as a dominant force in the bantamweight division. He boasted an impressive record within the world’s largest martial arts organization, culminating in a title-winning performance against John Linker at ONE Fight Night 7 last year.
However, his quest to claim the ONE bantamweight kickboxing crown was halted by a devastating knockout at the hands of his British adversary, Jonathan Haggerty, in November.
In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Andrade revealed that he was battling an injury heading into his clash with Haggerty:
“After the fight with John Lineker, I returned to Brazil and visited a doctor, only to discover that I had a hernia in my neck. It was affecting my arm and shoulder, causing a loss of strength in my left arm.
I was experiencing muscle loss, so now I’m undergoing treatment, engaging in extensive physiotherapy, and patiently waiting to regain my strength before returning to competition.”
While Andrade may have missed out on the chance to become a rare two-sport world champion, he departs the kickboxing scene with his head held high. His journey to the top, coupled with the resilience he has demonstrated, serves as motivation for him to continue making strides within his division.
