Cowboy rides again?
Cowboy rides again?
Cerrone wants to un-retire. So let's look at brain health for an older fighter.
Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone recently revealed that he plans to come out of retirement, as he wants to complete 50 fights under the UFC banner.
Since his retirement in 2022, Cerrone has been open about his use of TRT and other performance boosters. “All the good sh*t”, in his words.
I’ve been thinking and reading a lot lately about brain health. Everything from MMA athletes and repeated blows to the head, to every day people who have had strokes. So when I heard the news of Cerrone’s possible comeback, my thoughts naturally turned to his brain. The brain of an aged fighter.
Like many other older fighters, Cerrone obviously feels the need to fight again, for whatever reason. For what it’s worth, Dana White doesn’t want to see a Cerrone return. At least right now he doesn’t. It is instances like this where there must be safeguards present in the industry- in this case, the UFC- to protect the fighter from themselves, should he be allowed to return to fight.
The Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP) addresses the lack of firm guidelines and rules amongst state regulatory entities for return to competition after a concussion. In their concussion management consensus statement, they state that guidelines for assessment of concussion during a bout, and return to sport guidelines after a concussion episode varies from state-to-state and commission-to-commission.
In some states, ringside physicians can stop a bout on medical grounds (including concussion), but in other states, only the referee can stop a fight, even on medical grounds, but only after consulting with the ringside physician.
With such lack of clarity from regulatory entities, it seems incumbent on MMA organizations such as the UFC to have safeguards in place that address return to sport after a concussion.
It is not clear if the UFC has mandatory protocols in place to more closely monitor the medical status and brain health of older fighters. Maybe something like this would be included in any potential contract for Cowboy, should he return.
Wouldn’t it be great if someone would ask about this in an upcoming Dana White media scrum?
The ARP does address the enhanced monitoring needs of the older fighter. According to ARP, Cerrone is categorized as an older fighter in the world of combat athletes, as he is over the age of 35. (Cerrone is 41 years old.)
The ARP position statement entitled Care of the Older Fighter includes neurological recommendations for fighters 35 years of age and older. Recommendations include:
Neuropsychological (NP) evaluation is recommended at initial licensure and every 3 years thereafter, and when clinically indicated.
Refer athletes to a neurologist or neurosurgeon with TBI experience if there is concern for neurocognitive decline.
In Cerrone’s case, I think he should be mandated to take an initial baseline NP exam upon signing a new contract, assuming Dana decides it would be bad ass to see him fight again. If possible, this exam should be compared to any previous exam that he may have had done either through the UFC Performance Institute or an outside consultant.
Following his first comeback bout, he should be mandated to complete the same NP exam again, regardless of whether he was KOd or not. The same should happen after his next bout. Any degradation in his exam results should lead to an immediate referral to a neurologist, or other physician with experience in concussion management. He should not fight again until cleared to do so by this physician.
I realize this is an ideal world scenario. Fighters are independent contractors, and they can do as they please when addressing their health, including their brain health. The mandates I have noted will never make their way into a UFC contract.
One of the thin threads of hope I have is the ongoing professional athlete brain health study at the Cleveland Clinic. Maybe some solid recommendations will be forthcoming from this study that will start to force the hand of MMA organizations in managing fighter brain trauma.