McDonald returns from injuries to grab victory
Michael McDonald’s return to the cage during the prelims of UFC 195 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden wasn’t going as planned.
It almost ended the way Ultimate Fighting Championship fans last saw the once highly touted bantamweight fighter.
After a two-year hiatus due to injuries, McDonald escaped a choke hold from Masanori Kanehara and beautifully countered with a rear naked choke to force the Japanese fighter to tap in the second round.
“Kanehara was a phenomenal opponent that pushed me to the limit,” McDonald said. “He had the best pressure I’ve ever felt and his submissions were great. When he had me in the head and arm choke I was losing air so quickly that I knew I was either going to pass out or explode through.”
Kanehara had a tight side choke on McDonald while the two were down on the mat. McDonald used his legs on the cage to bounce up and got behind Kanehara to lock in the winning choke hold.
McDonald (17-3) last stepped into the octagon in December of 2013 when he was dominated by Urijah Faber, losing via a guillotine in the second round.
The No. 8-ranked bantamweight competitor, McDonald said he had flashbacks to a prior fight when Kanehara had him in the side choke hold. He was referring to a submission loss to Renan Barao in February of 2013.
“I had Barao flashbacks and I remember him choking me and I was so regretful that I didn’t just explode out with everything I had,” McDonald said. “So I wasn’t going to let that happen again. Even if he passed me out I was going to give it all I had.”
The 24-year-old fighter who goes by “Mayday” didn’t rush back from wrist surgery and even contemplated walking away from the UFC.
Maybe the win against Kanehara gave McDonald the passion again for fighting and possibly put him back on track for stardom in the bantamweight division.
“I’m glad to see your face again,” McDonald told Joe Rogan during his post fight interview. “To be in front of these people, not getting beat up in the process.”
— Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @gmanzano24
