Severe spine injury nearly derailed Ramiz Brahimaj's MMA career, details "miraculous" recovery ahead of UFC Vegas 92

Ramiz Brahimaj returns to the octagon this weekend at UFC Vegas 92 after a 26-month hiatus due to a severe spinal injury. Brahimaj overcame a brachial plexus injury and cervical spine stenosis to make a full recovery, which he calls "miraculous."

The 31-year-old fighter suffered the injuries during wrestling training and was left with limited function in his arm. Doctors initially recommended surgery, but Brahimaj opted for extensive physical therapy instead. This grueling process tested Brahimaj physically and mentally, even leading him to contemplate retirement.

In a recent interview with MMA Mania, he said:

“I had a whole letter written… it was gloomy. It was dark last year like, I did not know what was going to happen. I would make progress, and then there would be days where I’d wake up, and I’m like, f**k, I don’t feel better. I just felt like I was constantly just trying to find something to be buoyant. I did feel like I was drowning, but I really think it had happened. It made me so much mentally stronger. That it just opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

Brahimaj credits a Dallas doctor with creating a successful non-surgical recovery plan. This process, though lengthy, ultimately allowed Brahimaj to regain full function in his arm and body.

“The doctor that I actually met up with here in Dallas, an amazing doctor, assured me that his last plan was going to be for me to go under the knife…He was helping me as I was doing my own research on this stuff on the brachial plexus and everything. It took awhile, but I think it was the right choice that I made. And the function of my arm and the function of my body ... everything is back. To me, it’s miraculous, you know, it’s extremely miraculous.”

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Ramiz Brahimaj to take on Themba Gorimbo at UFC Vegas 92

Now healthy and motivated, Ramiz Brahimaj looks to reignite his career against Themba Gorimbo in a welterweight scrap on May 18.

Brahimaj (10-4) boasts a perfect submission record, with nine of his ten wins coming in the first round. He looks to reignite his career after a 2-2 run in the UFC, which includes a first-round submission win over Micheal Gillmore in his last outing in 2022.

Gorimbo (12-4) enters the fight on a two-fight winning streak, defeating Pete Rodriguez and Takashi Sato. He seeks to build on this momentum after a submission loss in his UFC debut against A.J. Fletcher.

Check out Ramiz Brahimaj's post below: