MMA star Jack Becker broke his leg in half following a sickening kick which is now set to delay his planned switch to the UFC.
Becker was defending his lightweight title in MMA promotion Eternal against challenger Aidan Aguilera at the HBF Stadium in Perth. The Australian star had recently signed with the UFC and it was set to be his final outing before making the switch.
However his career plan will now be significantly delayed after a horrifying sequence of events unfolded just seconds into his bout. The pair began the opening round at a fast pace with Aguilera clearly targeting his opponent's left leg by landing some neat inside kicks early on.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Becker attempted to land a leg kick of his own with just seconds gone in the first stanza, but his leg twisted upon planting his foot. The 29-year-old collapsed to the floor in agony following the injury which saw his ankle facing the wrong way. A sickening snap echoed around the arena, with Becker left requiring immediate medical attention on the canvas.
The MMA prospect was promptly taken hospital to receive treatment but was seemingly in good spirits, providing an update on Instagram : "The game is to get as ready as you can. Train your heart out and rock up to take risks and put it all on the line. I did that and so did my team. Everybody who came out and made some noise, it was an experience I’ll never forget, I’m looking forward to feeling it again when I can.
"Was all going to plan till my leg turned into a noodle. I’m glad the belt is bequeathed to a man who values spicy highlights & sportsmanship. I’m sorry that’s how it went down. We deserved more than 22 seconds after the wait we had to perform. Defend the belt and enjoy it because you deserve it.
Do you think Jack Becker will be a success in the UFC? Let us know in the comments section below
"It’s going to take me a while to get back to all the nice messages. I’m good and I appreciate the thoughts. I will be back moving soon enough. I really wish I could have shown a little more. But that’s the way it goes sometimes."
Becker holds a record of 10-3 in MMA and is ranked as the No.2 lightweight fighter in the region. He is considered one of the brightest rising stars in Australia, and further cemented his status by claiming the 155lb title with victory last year.
The 29-year-old was going into the contest on a three-fight win streak and was facing his rival for the second time having prevailed in their opening meeting last April. His move to the UFC will now be delayed while he makes a recovery from injury, which could see him out of action for up to a year.
