Even though UFC 308 delivered big time, Rafael dos Anjos’ unfortunate injury extracted worried thoughts from the fans. Needless to say, he was all set to give it his all and celebrate his 40th birthday with a win. But fate seemed to have different plans, as he was forced to get hospitalized with a knee injury. 

During the first round of his fight against Geoff Neal, dos Anjos’ left knee gave away and he lost the fight via TKO. But now, after 2 days of the unfortunate event, ‘RDA’ revealed that it wasn’t something that had the power to bring him down. No doubt, his fighting spirit shone through his words as he promised to keep the fighting community updated regarding his left knee.

Dos Anjos took to Instagram and shared a picture of himself, relaxing on a couch, with his left knee wrapped in a brace. In the caption, the welterweight contender wrote, “Thank you all fight fans for the support, sorry I let you guys down. Definitely it was not how I want to celebrate my 40th birthday, it was a tough loss.”

It was the second time for dos Anjos to go to a hospital right after a fight. The first time such a thing happened was when he went up against Clay Guida, back in 2010. During that fight, ‘RDA’ tapped out with a fractured jaw, and had to undergo surgery to fix it. Weighing in on his past, he continued, “During my whole UFC career it’s my second time been hospitalized after a fight, it make me feel blessed, it could been worse, it’s a tough game. Time to heal up, enjoy the family. I’m not done yet, I’ll be back soon. God bless you all. I’ll keep you guys updated on my stories.” 

In a different social media post, the 40-year-old reflected back on his injury. He claimed, “I think it was on my second kick thrown, me and Neal kicked at the same time and I felt a big snap, a big pop behind my knee.” While the details of his injury are not yet revealed to the public, it might have been either a ligament snap or a temporary bone displacement. Nevertheless, it does seem like the welterweight contender will be ready to jump back into action in no time.

Just like ‘RDA’s foot injury back in 2016, he might not require surgery to fix it. Ample amounts of rest and avoiding pressure on the leg can heal him with the added aid of medications. But what do the professional fighters have to say about the Brazilian’s injury? Let’s find out!

Rafael Dos Anjos’ knee injury sees waves of support from MMA world

As soon as the former UFC lightweight champion released the post on social media, his fellow fighters jumped in to wish Rafael Dos Anjos the best. The retired Brazilian MMA athlete, Thales Leites, wrote, “get well soon brother.” The bantamweight prospect, Geraldo Freitas commented, “Good one brother!! Nice recovery and KEEP GOING!!!”

Even well-known mixed martial artists had ‘RDA’s health in mind. Jalin Turner took to the comments section and typed down, “Heal up brotha! Stay positive, God bless.” And Paulo Costa wrote in Portuguese, “Very brave beast.” Meanwhile, Ketlen Vieira wrote, “Soon you’ll be 100% recovered my friend. Trust in God, he is with us,” followed by a prayer emoji.

Jose Aldo, on the other hand, seemed to celebrate Dos Anjos’ spirits with several clapping emojis in the comments section. His spirits were lifted up by yet another big gun in the fighting realm. Rillion Gracie, one of the harbingers of Jiu-Jitsu, praised the former lightweight champion. He wrote, “Warrior of the good ones.”

‘RDA’ previously claimed that the 155-pound category was simply not his forte anymore. After all the lightweight realm has witnessed the rise of many young and powerful prospects, over the last few years. Instead, he raised his weight to 170 pounds and planned to wrap his UFC contract up in the welterweight division. Even though he suffered an unfortunate injury in his last bout, fight fans can indeed look forward to the Brazilian’s return. 

What are your thoughts on Dos Anjos’ never-give-up spirit? Let us know what you think of the IG post in the comments down below.