Possible brain damage for women cage fighters

FOX SPORTS

Elias Cepeda

BOTH strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and former bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey were issued six-month medical suspensions by the UFC after their fights at UFC 193 this past weekend, due to the extent of their injuries.

The medical suspensions usually are handled by state athletic commissions regulating the fights and not made public. However, for last weekend’s fight card in Australia, the UFC regulated itself in the absence of a commission and released a full list of medical suspensions to MixedMartialArts.com.

Ronda Rousey has been forced to take a six-month break from fighting.

The suspension descriptions indicate concern for a head injury with Rousey and a broken right hand with Jedrzejczyk. The strawweight champion won a decision over Valerie Letourneau but felt she probably broke her hand as she had earlier in the year.

The medical suspension issued by the UFC mandates Jedrzejczyk not fight again within 45 days, and have no contact or real training for 30. She is suspended for 180 days unless cleared by an orthopedic doctor after having an X-ray examination that reveals no damage.

Rousey’s suspension is also for 180 days, unless she is cleared by a head CT scan that reveals no damage. She is not to fight again for 60 days and not to have contact for 45.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk (L) lands a punch to the face of Valerie Letourneau.

Rousey lost for the first time as an MMA fighter, via second-round KO to Holly Holm, in the main event of UFC 193. Both she and her head coach Edmond Tarverdyan have indicated in statements that the plan is for her to take time to rest. She’s fought three times in the past three months, with a very short turnaround from her fight in August to this past one.

The full medical suspension list for UFC 193 fighters is below:

Ryan Benoit: 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Ben Nguyen: 7 days mandatory rest

Steven Kennedy: 180 days or cleared with negative x-ray of left thumb; 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Richard Walsh: 7 days mandatory rest

Steve Montgomery: 7 days mandatory rest

Daniel Kelly: 7 days mandatory rest

James Moontasri: 7 days mandatory rest

Anton Zafir: 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Danny Martinez: 7 days mandatory rest

Richard Vaculik: 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Gian Villante: 7 days mandatory rest

Anthony Perosh: 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Peter Sobotta: 7 days mandatory rest

Kyle Noke: 7 days mandatory rest

Akbarh Jimenez: 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Jake Matthews: 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Jared Rosholt: 180 days or clear CT of right tibia/fibia; 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Stefan Struve: 7 days mandatory rest

Robert Whitaker: 180 days or cleared by ortho of left ankle and right hand; 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Urijah Hall: 30 days no fight, 21 days no contact

Antonio Silva: 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Mark Hunt: 7 days mandatory rest

Valerie Letourneau: 180 days or cleared by negative head CT scan; 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Joanna Jedrzejczyk: 180 days or cleared by ortho w/ right hand x-ray; 45 days no fight, 30 days no contact

Holly Holm: 7 days mandatory rest

Ronda Rousey: 180 days or cleared by negative head CT scan; 60 days no fight, 45 days no contact