UFC light heavyweight contender Corey Anderson has released a statement to Instagram detailing an incident in which he suffered cuts and swelling to one side of his face after he collapsed on a gravel track when his heart suddenly stopped beating.

Anderson wrote of how he was still suffering from concussion-like symptoms well after losing to Jan Blachowicz in February and despite being cleared by the commission and UFC medics at the time, the situation became serious while he was on a hike.

“It’s been a long road back.. BUT never the less we are back!,” Anderson wrote on Instagram. “… Feb 21st following my last fight I blacked out and collapsed smashing my face on a gravel road after scouting some land for (hours). Ended up in the ER for 5 days running numerous of test and blood work to figure out what happened.”

Subsequent analysis suggests that the incident was due to a combination of factors, with concussion among them, and he has since undergone what he describes as two “painful” procedures on his heart to investigate the matter further.

 

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Its been a long road back.. BUT never the less we are back! . . . . Feb 21st following my last fight I blacked out and collapsed smashing my face on a gravel road after scouting some land for hrs. Ended up in the ER for 5 days running numerous of test and blood work to figure out what happened. I seen a long list of different doctors, all but one said it was do to major concussion and lack of water and food after hiking through the woods for hrs. 1 doctor would tell me it was my heart… that my heart had stopped beating and it could happen again but next time in a fight!! Instantly my wifes face change and my emotions as well. I become angry with doctors bc i was scared internally. I would take many trips to NYU hospital meeting several different specialist during many more test and undergoing 2 very painful outpatient heart procedures to find more evidence to go along with that ONE doctors notes He had put a complete halt to my career as a fighter until it was clear my heart was safe to compete. And as of last monday night, I left hospital for the final time after my last procedure, with clearance note in hand, and the doctor telling me “Congrats Mr. Anderson, I can let you go back to beating people up!” . . . After my fight the commission/medics failed to do the proper after fight check up and I went back to living life as normal. And I paid a hefty price!! This whirlwind 5 months have put ALOT of things into perspective and as a veteran fighter who in the past has just fought with reckless abandoned with no care for rest and mental health long as I can keep fighting. I advise you other fighters to look after your health if you took some big shots to your head in a fight or practice, take the proper time to recover. It took me having my son sitting there looking at me in a hospital bed to realize there is real life after fighting and I want to be here to enjoy it. Fight smart, train smart, but recover and rest SMARTER!! Use your head while you still have the brains to do so. . Huge thank you to @taylorrpricee of the @ufc who was always on top of getting everything going EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! As well as @aliabdelaziz000 and Hunter Campbell #motivationmonday

A post shared by Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson (@coreya_mma) on Jul 27, 2020 at 9:11am PDT

“I’ve seen a long list of different doctors, all but one said it was do to major concussion and lack of water and food after hiking through the woods for hours,” Anderson wrote. “(One) doctor would tell me it was my heart … that my heart had stopped beating and it could happen again but next time in a fight!! Instantly my wife’s face change and my emotions as well. I become angry with doctors (because I) was scared internally.

“After my fight the commission/medics failed to do the proper after fight check up and I went back to living life as normal. And I paid a hefty price!!” Anderson wrote. “This world wind 5 months have put A LOT of things into perspective and as a veteran fighter who in the past has just fought with reckless abandoned with no care for rest and mental health long as I can keep fighting.

“I advise you other fighters to look after your health if you took some big shots to your head in a fight or practice, take the proper time to recover. It took me having my son sitting there looking at me in a hospital bed to realize there is real life after fighting and I want to be here to enjoy it. Fight smart, train smart, but recover and rest SMARTER!! Use your head while you still have the brains to do so.”