A notable fighter scheduled to compete at UFC Vegas 106 revealed he nearly retired due to a challenging period of injuries that kept him out of the cage following a tough loss at UFC 300.
Following the UFC 315 event in Montreal, the premier mixed martial arts promotion returns to its home base at the Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday. This latest UFC Fight Night will feature a ranked welterweight main event between Gilbert Burns and the undefeated Michael Morales.
Among the key storylines on the undercard is the highly anticipated return of a fighter who has been absent for over a year.
Sodiq Yusuff Contemplated Retirement Amid Injury Battles Post-UFC 300
UFC Vegas 106 marks the comeback of featherweight contender Sodiq Yusuff. The 31-year-old Nigerian hasn`t competed since his quick, tough knockout loss to Diego Lopes just over a minute into their fight at the landmark UFC 300 event, resulting in a 13-month period of inactivity.
In an interview with UFC.com`s E. Spencer Kyte, Yusuff explained his prolonged absence, stating that severe back injuries led him to consider ending his career. He elaborated, citing “a lot of spinal and disc injuries,” including “a few herniations in my back and a few in my neck.” He spent the time dealing with these issues and working to get his body recovered.
He admitted this period was “probably the closest I’ve ever been to hanging it up,” feeling his body couldn`t keep up. He recounted a particularly difficult wrestling practice: “There was one day I was trying to push through a practice and everything hurt at the time. I was in the middle of wrestling practice and I was having a hard time, constantly getting stingers, my back is locking up, and I literally left practice crying; I left in tears. I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know how much longer I want to do this for.’”
Sodiq Yusuff Moves Up to Lightweight for Return Bout Since UFC 300
Adding another layer to Yusuff`s return is his move to the lightweight division (155 lbs), competing at this weight for the first time in his UFC career. He is leaving the featherweight division seeking healthier weight cuts.
Eliminating the stress of a difficult weight cut could be beneficial as Yusuff faces a tough test at UFC Vegas 106. To secure his first win since 2022, `Super Sodiq` is matched against the promising 15-1 prospect and winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Mairon Santos.
An impressive victory for Yusuff could position him as a formidable new contender in the lightweight division.
