Featured Image Credit: Px Images / Alamy. Chris Rumulo/YouTube.
Topics: Dana White, UFC, MMA
Jayden Collins
Topics: Dana White, UFC, MMA
UFC boss Dana White has opened up his wallet and donated $10,000 (AU$15,400) to a Muay Thai fighter who lost both his legs in a freak work accident.
TMZ Sports reports that fighter John Esposito suffered a horrific accident while working his day job as a road worker.
Esposito was filling potholes on the side of the road when a car raced into the work area and collided with him from behind and pinned him against a trailer.
The 30-year-old says he lost his legs at that moment, however, it wasn’t the end of the horror.
He said recently while recounting the incident: “Halfway through the flight on the medivac, I flatlined.
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“They were able to resuscitate me, though, and bring me back to life."
Despite his circumstances, Esposito has been working tirelessly to get back to a position where he can get back between the ropes.
He currently trains from his wheelchair while also learning to move around using prosthetics.
He told NJ Advance Media: “When I was laying there in the hospital, I realised I have two paths ahead of me. I can mope and cry about it, but what’s that going to do for me, or I can learn and adapt.
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“Of course, I still have my moments. Muay Thai, I think, helped me a lot. It’s all about perspective. If you look at it as your life’s over, that’s what it is going to be. Just like positive thoughts, your negative thoughts can manifest into reality,”
After hearing about his journey, Liam Tarrant who is the founder of The Muay Thai Project, along with friends Chris and Sarah Romulo started a GoFundMe.
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The Muay Thai Project is a charity that provides Muay Thai scholarships for kids and teens in need.
Tarrant appeared on UFC fighter Angela Hill’s Ceremonial Weigh-In podcast to talk about Esposito’s story.
Upon listening to the podcast and being touched by the story White decided to donate $10,000 (AU$15,400) to the cause.
The GoFundMe is close to its $30,000 (AU$46,000) goal thanks to White and others’ donations, which will ultimately go toward Esposito’s recovery costs.
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And Esposito is intent on turning that recovery into a return to Muay Thai.
“Right now, I just don’t think there’s any commission that would allow that. Believe me, if there’s a way to keep doing Muay Thai, I would certainly do that,” he said.
Adding: “I want to start getting into boxing.”