Mickey Gall suffered some secret battle damage going into his UFC 203 battle with CM Punk and he’s got the photographic evidence to prove it. The disgusting, gnarly and all-around unpleasant photographic evidence.
Gall revealed on Instagram today that his decisive starmaking win over Punk in The Octagon was preceded by a vicious head butt three weeks early that required a hearty 21 stitches. The future Sage slayer suffered the injury in practice and it looks less than an ideal thing you’d like on your face before your big PPV bout. Imagine the Rocky Horror Picture Show lips on an eyebrow.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTW7hS0Fr-x/
“I got this cut 3 WEEKS BEFORE fighting CM Punk … ” explained the liberal with CAPS fighter. “Accidental head butt in practice, 21 STITCHES … Doc said I can’t fight for 6 MONTHS (yeah right). He said if eye gets TOUCHED within 6 months it’ll reopen. So I keep it a SECRET. I end up fighting TWICE in 4 MONTHS. Get GRAZED in second fight. 8 MORE stitches. 2 superstars whooped, 1 born … Worth it”
The logic (and danger) is pretty straightforward here. Reveal the injury and your big spotlight fight goose is likely cooked. Of course, this is the sort of thing one imagines the UFC isn’t thrilled about from a PR standpoint. Having damaged fighters go into a bout isn’t a great look (even if it’s on the sly) and while a pre-wounded Gall was a nice, unused present for Punk, if Gall lost the fight due to that injury it does no favors to the promotion’s attempts to integrate into the mainstream sports landscape. It panned out for Gall, so minor harm, no foul.
(Via Fox Sports)
