First off, the good news: Chance Rencountre is doing well, or at least as well as can be for a man who no doubt feels like he was just kicked by a mule.
Rencountre, a former UFC fighter who returned to the Bellator cage on Saturday, was on the receiving end of a spinning back kick by ex-welterweight champ Andrey Koreshkov. The kick landed with pinpoint precision to the ribs, full force. Rencountre went down almost instantly; the fight was over in all of 38 seconds.
Brian Butler, SuckerPunch Entertainment Founder and CEO, who manages Rencountre, posted an update on the fighter’s status via Instagram on Sunday. Along with a copy of an x-ray, Butler revealed that Rencountre had suffered five broken ribs, and a punctured lung.
“Not the outcome we wanted but the kick was well placed and would have stopped anyone. Next time we will get a full camp and come back stronger. Chance is in good spirits and prepping for surgery,” Butler wrote. “Thank you to the Bellator MMA team who has been tremendous with all their assistance.”
Rencountre also provided his own update on Instagram, and appeared to be in good spirits while awaiting surgery.
“Feeling pretty chipper for a man with 5 broken ribs, a punctured lung half full of blood and a bruised kidney,” he wrote, adding “Not the way I’d envisioned my Bellator return playing out but congratulations to [Andrey Koreshkov] and a big thank you to all the Bellator MMA staff for all their hard work both pre and post-fight. I’m feeling very well taken care of.
“Sh*t happens. Thanks everyone for their support and well wishes. Imma get me some metal wrapped around my ribs and come back like Wolverine with the adamantium skeleton.”
Rencountre competed for Bellator MMA three times between March 2016 and October 2017, and later had a four-fight stint in the UFC, posting a 2-2 record. He had won both his fights since leaving that promotion prior to Bellator 274 on Saturday. The loss to Koreshkov dropped Rencountre to 16-5, but records are no doubt the last thing on the welterweight’s mind right now.
