‘I think I almost died’

LAS VEGAS – UFC middleweight Punahele Soriano thinks an an infection almost took his life.

Soriano (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) returns to motion after six months on the sideline at UFC Fight Night 217 to face Roman Kopylov. The bout takes place Saturday on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The cardboard streams on ESPN+.

After his final win, a second-round knockout of Dalcha Lungiambula in July, Soriano was sidelined with a damaged hand. At media day Wednesday, he revealed that wasn’t the one challenge he confronted throughout his time away from the cage.

“I didn’t actually inform anybody, however I obtained tremendous, tremendous sick,” Soriano informed reporters. “I believe I virtually died. I had like shingles, that became cellulitis like on my face and below my coronary heart.

“It was humorous, I ended up going to the E.R. They needed to give me antibiotics and all that crap. However the night time earlier than, I bear in mind simply laying on the sofa and it felt like I used to be in a chokehold. I used to be like, ‘This might be the night time I don’t get up.’ I used to be like, ‘Effectively, I hope I simply get up.’ After which I went to mattress. However I wakened.”

Soriano informed the scary story in a jovial method, and even confirmed off the discoloration and scarring left on his face and chest from the pores and skin an infection.

Now that the an infection is gone and his hand is healed, he’s anxious to get again to work towards a “monster” in Kopylov (9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), and set the tone for his staff.

“He put away (Alessio) Di Chirico fairly properly, and I’m excited to go up towards him,” Soriano mentioned. “He’s good all over the place and I’m able to struggle him.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 217.