'It takes it toll'… Michael Bisping reveals Hall of Fame career left him with gruesome injury as he provides recovery update

Today at 09:23 AM

While Michael Bisping is one of the bravest fighters to have ever graced the UFC, his warrior spirit came at a cost, with ‘The Count’ having to deal with a horrendous injury.

Since retiring, the Englishman has been in and out of hospital, with doctors trying to solve the issue.

Michael Bisping details horrific details of his neck injury

In his career, Michael Bisping developed a reputation for his relentless work rate and complete and utter refusal to give up regardless of the obstacles placed in his path.

Showcasing incredible self-belief, the Brit ignored the doubters, en route to knocking out Luke Rockhold to claim the UFC middleweight title in one of the biggest upsets of all time.

Over the course of his career, Bisping engaged in more than his fair share of wars, and sadly, it’s left a lasting impact.

The brawler, who has recently left hospital after undergoing surgery for a neck issue, has opened up about his awful experience.

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In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow, TNT Sports pundit Michael Bisping, said: “You should've seen me last week, mate. It's amazing what a few days of rest does. It's been a very, very tough time, to be honest. You know, training for mixed martial arts fights and having a long career like I did, it takes a toll.

“I injured my in neck in 2013. Initially, they wanted to do a disc replacement in my neck. They said, 'We're gonna slice you open on your throat, push your throat to the side to reveal your spine, and put a disc in. I was like, 'No you're not, that's not happening’.

“In 2018, they opened me up and did a fusion. I got about six months of relief, and ever since then, slowly but surely, the pain has gotten worse and worse.

“They did a bunch of different things, and in the end, they suggested a disc replacement, which they did seven weeks ago. That provided zero relief, so then, last week, they went in the back of the neck, sliced me open to take a look at my spine to see what was going on.

“There was of bunch of bone spurs. There was cysts growing all over the bone spurs. There was some nasty gunk and fluid, all the flesh around it was discolored and smelly and whatnot.

“The nerve hole where the nerve comes out was all kind of compressed, so they had to drill that out. And then the fusion that they did in 2018, that had failed, so they did a bone graft. They stuck some wedges in, and they redrilled the holes and rescrewed the screws and then sowed me back up.”

Michael Bisping discusses mental battle while dealing with his neck injury

While the physical pain has been nothing short of abhorrent, for Bisping, the mental battle has been even harder.

With his symptoms now beginning to subside, the 45-year-old is optimistic for the future.

He explained: “I’m in absolute agony as I sit here, but look at this, I can move my neck a little bit; a few days ago, I couldn’t do anything. So, each day, it’s getting better and better, and fingers crossed, in a week or two, this will be a thing of the past, and I can have my life back.

“I said it on social media, the physical pain has been one thing, but the mental battle was much harder, just trying to maintain and live your life, having the busy schedule I do, and just pushing through it, mentally forcing it to the back of my mind. You can only take so much; I’m only human.”

Watch UFC 309: Jones v Miocic exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office from 1am on Saturday 16 November. For more info, visit: tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice

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