In a tweet today, UFC heavyweight Stefan Struve announced his retirement from the sport. The Dutchman cited damage to his vestibular system in his ear as the reason; the vestibular system governs a person’s sense of balance. “I’ve had an inner ear issue that I’ve been battling since May last year. I caught a viral infection that damaged my vestibular system and the hearing nerve in my right ear… unfortunately after the fight, some of the issues came back after being hit by a punch on the right ear, it was a punch that should not be an issue normally.”
Stefan Struve says that these health issues will not impede his daily life but will prevent him from returning to the cage: “I have no big issues when I’m just doing my everyday things and training on a normal level, to be healthy and in-shape. The extreme intensity I have to put my body through in training camp to get ready for fights I can’t do anymore though“.
What’s up everyone. I got an announcement to make today. It was a little too long so I had to improvise, you can read more in the attachement. I have decided to retire from professional fighting. Thank you all for the support 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/z2eZAALUoP
— Stefan Struve (@StefanStruve) February 15, 2021
Struve had already been battling health conditions such as a broken jaw and heart troubles, and while he regrets being forced out of the sport he also looks positively towards the future with his family, including his five-month-old son, Tobi.
[pickup_prop id=”467″]
Stefan Struve – A Look Back
Stefan Struve frequently astonished onlookers with his 7-foot frame, the tallest man to ever fight in the UFC. Surprisingly, however, “Skyscraper” was far more dangerous as a grappler than as a striker, achieving 18 of his 29 professional victories by way of submission. Struve’s greatest victory would be largely on the feet though when he knocked out future UFC champion, Stipe Miocic in a messy affair at UFC on Fuel TV 5. He would also glean a decision nod over Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and a knockout victory over Antônio “Bigfoot” Silva over the course of his career.
***
Stay tuned right here at MMA Sucka for more live streams as well as videos highlighting the top fighters, commentators, coaches, promoters, and other names in MMA and combat sports. We also bring you great offers on the latest MMA products and merchandise. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for regular updates and all the latest fight news. You can also check out our sister site, at TheFightBuzz.com for the latest from the world of MMA and other combat sports.
featured image
Embed from Getty Images
