Jose Aldo may have broken his ribs on Tuesday and rumors are circulating about him pulling out of his title fight against Conor McGregor at UFC 189. The man responsible for that training accident spoke up about the injury and his feelings after learning he injured the champ.
“I threw a kick but slipped with all the sweat on the mat, and ended up hitting his rib,” Nunes told MMAFighting.com. “I was mimicking McGregor’s unorthodox style, things he does in the fight. I’m also left-handed, my style is similar to his, so that’s why they asked me to be part of his camp, but I ended up slipping and causing this injury.”
“He finished the round, and then decided to stop,” Nunes said. “I’m sure he would continue to train if he could. He’s a warrior and was really well prepared for this fight.”
Alcides Nunes is a 5-0 left handed fighter that is known to kick very well in his matches, which is why he was an ideal sparring partner for Aldo. Nunez expressed great remorse regarding the accidental injury.
“I’m still sad about all this,” he said. “As a fan and an athlete, I know this is devastating. I’m really sad. Aldo was in shape and prepared for this fight.”
Aldo is expected to receive the results of his MRI today, which will determine if he can fight on July 11th or if he’ll be out until late in the Fall.
McGregor meanwhile is staying ready and is prepared to take on Aldo or a late replacement at UFC 189.