Max Rohskopf was in disbelief.
Previous to his scheduled promotional debut final October 1 at Bellator 286 in Lengthy Seashore, Rohskopf did what was required of him by the California State Athletic Fee. He submitted a brand new mind MRI as a result of his outdated one was outdated; he even acquired one other MRI two weeks earlier than the occasion when the fee requested; after which the day earlier than the bout, he made weight.
After placing in a full coaching camp, he was raring to go. However one thing occurred.
“Instantly after weigh-ins, like an hour after I already weighed in, the fee informed me I needed to go get one other MRI, and I needed to pay out of pocket for it,” Rohskopf lately informed MMA Junkie Radio. “It was a protracted ordeal to get that finished. After which the physician that checked out that MRI in California stated I used to be wonderful. Somebody on the fee, I don’t know who it was, stated that I wasn’t wonderful and that there’s one thing bizarre on my MRI.”
Consequently, Rohskopf was pulled from his light-weight combat with Mike Hamel due to what he stated his physician informed him was an “irregular blood vessel” in his mind “that has nothing to do with an damage.”
“I’ve in all probability had it since I used to be born,” Rohskopf.
Nonetheless, the CSAC took no probabilities and made him sit this one out. Rohskopf was devastated, however he additionally felt burned.
In the future earlier than Bellator 286 weigh-ins, the nation witnessed a scary website in a “Thursday Night time Soccer” NFL sport when Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a traumatic mind damage when his head slammed on the turf whereas sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive sort out Josh Tupou. The instant terrifying photographs of Tagovailoa laid out on his again together with his fingers in a inflexible fencing place and being taken off the sphere on a stretcher sparked a right away nationwide dialog about concussion protocol within the NFL.
Medical workers attend to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after a tough hit and sustaining a head damage towards the Cincinatti Bengals at Paycor Stadium. (Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer by way of USA TODAY Community)
Rohskopf indicated the Tagovailoa scenario influenced the CSAC’s determination, which annoyed him much more.
“Slightly bit after, they stated one thing alongside the strains of, ‘We’re simply making an attempt to watch out due to what occurred within the NFL’ the day earlier than, which was Tua getting that concussion,” Rohskopf stated. “After I heard that, I virtually broke the TV within the resort room. I used to be so mad. I’ve by no means even had like a headache or a migraine in my life. I’ve by no means been knocked unconscious, by no means had a concussion. I used to be fairly upset that they had been pulling me.”
CSAC govt officer Andy Foster declined to touch upon the scenario when reached by MMA Junkie on Tuesday night.
Rohskopf (7-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is about to compete subsequent week towards Chris Gonzalez at Bellator 290 in Inglewood, Calif. As of six weeks earlier than the Feb. 4 occasion date, Rohskopf stated he was nonetheless medically suspended by the CSAC, however his administration assured him he can be cleared.
Rohskopf, 28, was controversially launched by the UFC after one short-notice combat towards Austin Hubbard by which he retired on the stool in between rounds. He rebounded with back-to-back wins in 2021 with Cage Warriors – which each passed off underneath the CSAC’s jurisdiction in San Diego – earlier than signing a multifight contract with Bellator.
Rohskopf hopes Bellator 290 serves as a jumpstart to his profession after he missed all of 2022 and has fought simply eight occasions in 5 years. He stated he hopes he can full his contract by the top of the 12 months, trying to rack up wins so he can get a brand new one.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for Bellator 290.
