Even in defeat, it’s powerful to wipe the smile off Drew Dober’s face.
Regardless of a disappointing end result after a fully grotesque minimize was opened over his proper eye that compelled the referee to cease his combat towards Jean Silva at UFC Denver, Dober nonetheless managed to maintain issues constructive after getting stitched up backstage. The veteran light-weight confirmed off the aftermath of the gash that price him the combat whereas releasing a press release concerning the loss on Instagram.
“Such an honor to have the ability to step in there and showcase my coronary heart and willpower,” Dober mentioned. “Thanks, Denver, and the UFC for these moments and alternatives. There isn’t any disgrace in failure. Simply a possibility to change into a greater man.”
In typical style, Dober went out in search of the highlight-reel end as he engaged in a battle with Silva from the primary second of the combat till the final.
There have been various moments that confirmed off Dober’s unimaginable sturdiness as he absorbed some punishing pictures from the Brazilian. With simply seconds remaining within the second spherical, Silva uncorked a depraved spinning again elbow that clubbed Dober and left him on wobbly legs, however the horn sounded earlier than the Brazilian was probably in a position to benefit from the injury achieved.
By that point, Dober was already coping with the minimize over his eye, which got here from an earlier elbow landed by Silva. It wasn’t till the third spherical when Silva linked with yet one more elbow strike that fully cut up Dober open that referee Herb Dean was compelled to pause the competition.
It took the ringside doctor solely a cut up second to have a look at the open wound and decide that it wasn’t protected for Dober to proceed, so the combat was stopped.
Nonetheless, it was a valiant effort from Dober, who got here to placed on a present like he at all times does.
Whereas it actually wasn’t the end result he wished, Dober did go away Denver with an additional $50,000 after incomes Struggle of the Evening honors for the fourth time in his UFC profession.
