"Tough pill to swallow" - UFC middleweight announces he is stepping away from the UFC to focus on "healing"

UFC middleweight contender Ian Heinisch recently revealed his decision to temporarily step away from the promotion, citing the prioritization of his health and well-being.

In an Instagram video, 'The Hurricane' and his wife opened up about his past struggles with drug addiction and legal issues. Heinisch revealed how he had to deal with skin diseases caused by anabolic medicines used to treat staph infections, which ultimately led to severe damage to his stomach and intestines:

"I’ve been fighting this battle for a while now, and need to take the year off and just focus on healing. Most have noticed my inactivity in the cage, and this video explains why."

He added:

"I’m NOT QUITTING, but right now I just need to step away from the UFC and take some time to only focus on healing. To make it this far, and get injured like this, is a tough pill to swallow. Sorry to everyone I have let down, but just know I am the come back king, and I am not stopping. Thank you to everyone who supports. I have a lot more updates on recovery, and treatments coming soon! I guess there is a price to pay for the life I have lived in the past, but I know the Lord has a plan! And I know a lot of fighters are fighting similar battles, so reach out to me if you need help."

Check out the post below:

Heinisch was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and was homeschooled by his parents. They introduced him to wrestling as an outlet for his energy. However, he later dropped out of college and became involved in selling drugs, leading to legal trouble in the United States. To evade imprisonment, he fled to Amsterdam and then to Spain, where he was caught with a kilo of cocaine.

Ian Heinisch made his entry into the UFC After securing a first-round TKO victory over Justin Sumter during season 2 of Dana White's Contender Series in 2018.

The 34-year-old fighter Colorado native had a mixed run in the promotion with a 3-4 record. His most recent fight was a TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov in July 2021.

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Rob Font will face Cory Sandhagen at UFC Nashville in lieu of Umar Nurmagomedov

The main event of UFC Nashville has seen a modification, with Rob Font replacing Umar Nurmagomedov to face Cory Sandhagen in a five-round catchweight bout. The upcoming Fight Night event is set to take place on August 5, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena.

Credits: Marc Raimondi on Twitter

Initially slated to take on Song Yadong at UFC 292 next month, Font's bout against Yadong has been canceled by the promotion. Instead, the UFC has decided to promote Font as the headliner in a match against 'The Sandman'.