UFC
UFC NEWS: Sean Sherk rehabbing injuries yet again, summer return possible
Jan 19, 2011 - 7:40:49 PM UFC NEWS: Sean Sherk rehabbing injuries yet again, summer return possible

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk made a return to the UFC last September after a 16 month layoff caused by numerous injuries. Since the controversial split decision win over Evan Dunham at UFC 119, he's been largely off the radar, but there's a reason for that.

In an interview with MMAJunkie.com, Sherk revealed that the injuries he's been battling over the last couple of years have been re-aggravated, and he's currently rehabbing them yet again.

"All those injuries that I had to rehab, they came back," Sherk said. "So, now I need to get them dealt with again."

Sherk's doctors say he may be able to return by the summer, but the Minnesota-based wrestler says he won't come back until he's fully healed and prepared for a return.

"I made a decision a couple of years ago that I wasn't going to fight injured any more, so that's where the layoff has been," he said. "It's not worth training half-ass because I'm hurt and fighting half-ass, and giving opponents an opportunity to beat me because I wasn't able to prepare properly. That's just not a chance I'm going to take any more.

For Sherk, he knows his age is a factor working against him, but he remains cognizant of his own legacy and aims to go out on his terms. But before he does, he said he still has one more goal left in the sport.

"I'm not going to lie; I'm not getting any younger, unfortunately," he said. "So my injuries are just something that needs to be dealt with properly. I don't want to destroy my legacy. It's not worth it."

"I want to win that belt one more time. That's my ultimate goal: To be a two-time UFC lightweight champion. I think I would put myself in a very elite class of athletes if I was able to do that."

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Penick's Analysis: Sherk had some very real cardio issues in the Dunham fight that allowed Dunham to completely turn the fight around in the eyes of those watching, and it can definitely be attributed to the injuries and the layoff. Hopefully he's able to rehab these injuries and return to action as soon as possible, as the layoff will remain a factor. Like he said, he's not getting any younger, and the age and inactivity can affect him with the injuries he's suffered. That said, he remains a dangerous challenge for any fighter the UFC would put him against, even in 2011. Whether or not he can make it back to a title fight is a different story, but he'll be competitive against anyone and will defeat most, so again, hopefully he's able to get himself back to fighting condition before the fall.