After a profitable return to combating following a three-year absence, former Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. is not sure if he’ll proceed his MMA profession.
As a result of cavernoma, a mind situation involving abnormally shaped blood vessels, Lovato Jr. (11-0) was pressured to place his profession within the cage on maintain quickly after defeating Gegard Mousasi to say gold at Bellator 223.
Over 42 months later, Lovato Jr. returned to motion, defeating Taiga Iwasaki within the first spherical with an arm lock submission at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2022 in Tokyo.
“I believed so lengthy and laborious about simply getting another, and having the ability to shut the chapter on my MMA profession, my method,” Lovato Jr. advised Jimmy Smith on SiriusXM Battle Nation. “… It took three and a half years. All this time handed, nevertheless it occurred, and it’s laborious to consider that it did occur. It’s a dream come true. And now, right here we’re, and I’ve a complete new set of issues to consider if a chance does come.”
“I believed so laborious about getting another (battle) and having the ability to shut the chapter on my MMA profession, my method.”
After a profitable return to MMA following a 3 12 months hiatus, Rafael Lovato Jr. (@lovatojrbjj) tells @jimmysmithmma whether or not we’d see him within the cage once more pic.twitter.com/dT95bcVswf
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) January 4, 2023
Lovato Jr., 39, was not fully idle in his time away from the cage. Preserving his high-level BJJ abilities sharp, he grappled in a number of competitions together with the UFC Battle Cross Invitational in 2021 and the ADCC World Championships in September.
Together with his well being issues and different life occasions going down, combating in MMA competitors could also be a door that’s practically shut for Lovato Jr.
“I’m virtually 40 now,” Lovato Jr. stated. “I simply grew to become a father of twins this 12 months. So, I’m at a unique stage. However like I stated, I nonetheless really feel good, and if it’s a really engaging alternative, then I’ll undoubtedly take into account it and we’ll see what occurs. … I’m very completely happy, and life is nice it doesn’t matter what.”
