Phil Brooks’ UFC debut has been pushed back… again.
The former WWE superstar was expected to make his MMA debut in December, but this will delayed after the fighter “tweaked” his shoulder in training.
ESPN are reporting that he is scheduled to see a physician on October 14, which could see him cleared to return to the gym. Brooks’ coach Duke Roufus explained how he sustained the injury during a session in the gym.
“He got caught in a scramble, so right now he’s taking a little time off. He was doing great before that. His progress has been good. He’s got a great attitude and he’s a hard worker. He got a place in Milwaukee where he lives all week when he’s here training, so he’s in it to win it.”
“Our biggest thing is we want him to 101 percent before [we resuming training]. We don’t have a hard date for his fight to force the issue, so making sure he’s completely healthy is possible.”
Roufus has repeatedly stated he wants Brooks completely prepared before setting foot into the Octagon for the first time. The coach admitted that Brooks is still not at that point.
“He’s about at 50 percent, but that being said, remember that my 100 percent is a very well-prepared person.”
“The UFC will probably book him a fight three to four months in advance — a guy of his magnitude. We’re probably looking at a fight in the next six to 10 months. The injury throws us back one month. We had a ballpark. We were looking at mid- to late-spring. Now, we’ll just have to see how he comes back from the injury.”
