A bout in the Octagon is typically sufficiently bloody and brutal, but the preparation leading up to the fight can take a serious toll on fighters’ health. Such was the case for UFC middleweight contender Uriah Hall, who ended up in the hospital before ever setting foot in the cage as a result of his efforts to make weight for his scheduled fight with Vitor Belfort at UFC St. Louis on January 14.
In his first public statement since being hospitalized, Hall took to an Instagram live broadcast to update fans on the status of his health. There he admitted to suffering a “mini-seizure” and “slight heart attack” due to weight-cutting issues. Hall also claimed that he “ignored some issues that happened prior” to his weight cut that led to the health scare.
The UFC fighter also wanted to clear the air regarding accusations made by UFC President Dana White, who suggested that the health crisis was a result of Hall’s partying prior to the fight and lack of commitment to serious training.
Hall responds to the accusations in the clip below, and provides more detail on the circumstances that led to his hospitalization.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=NCFJf0iL74Y
Perhaps the scariest bit of information he shared was the high probability of death that he would’ve faced had he gone further with his cut and made weight. “The doctor even said that even if I had made weight I probably would have died the next day because my body just wasn’t having it,” Hall admitted. He vowed never to ignore his health again and thanked his fans and fellow fighters for reaching out to him.
Fortunately, Hall will live to fight another day, but he’ll be sure to make his health a priority before stepping back into the Octagon.
As for the possibility of rescheduling the fight with Belfort, Hall gave it a thumbs up—once he’s back at full strength, of course.
“I would love to fight Vitor again if he gets his panties out of a bunch. I heard he’s complaining,” Hall said. “Dude, it’s a fight, sh*t happens. We can definitely scrap again. Obviously, I have to get better, but I would love to fight him.” And we’d love to see it.
