Mark O. Madsen has spoken about personal problems he and his family have faced.
Whether it’s because of trash talkers like Conor McGregor, or beasts inside the cage like Francis Ngannou, we all have a stereotypical image in our heads of MMA fighters being too tough to let their emotional sides seep through their gritted teeth.
Emotions were however running high through this week’s media day interviews as Danish lightweight fighter Mark O. Madsen discussed his problems outside the Octagon that have forced him out of the sport for the past 17 months.
In an inspiring interview, Madsen discussed breaking his jaw and the subsequent infection that occurred, getting Covid-19, as well as his wife’s diagnosis with MS disease.
“I had to take my full focus and put it on the thing that’s going on with my wife and MS disease,” Madsen SAID. “I can’t stress how proud I am to be back, being able to go through what we as a family just went through.”
“I have been competing at the highest level of sport most of my life. Right now, coming into this fight, this feels single-handedly [like] the greatest comeback of my entire athletic career.”
Madsen was reportedly supposed to fight at UFC 257 on the McGregor vs Poirier II card, but was forced to stay at home to look after his wife.
The former Greco-Roman wrestler had anticipated that he would be back inside the octagon after his second round of surgery, recovering from a broken jaw he suffered in his last bout against Austin Hubbard at UFC 248.
He was then diagnosed with this tragic news that would put him out of the sport for even longer.
When asked about whether he ever doubted his return, Madsen replied with the following:
“There’s been absolutely no conversation of not returning to MMA. This fight, this opportunity is about proving to myself, more importantly proving to my wife that we won’t let disease determine anything in our life.”
It’s this experience that Madsen will undoubtedly use to motivate him through his fight at UFC Vegas 34 against Clay Guida in the card’s co-main event.
Mark O. Madsen is using UFC Vegas 34 fight as a way to move forward
With a 10-0 record, Madsen is certainly a scary prospect for the rest of the lightweight division, and he went on to discuss his plans moving forward at 155-pounds.
“My ambitions in MMA are just the same as they were in wrestling. I want to be the best in the world,” said Madsen. “I believe, if I develop my potential to my fullest, I will be able to go out there and compete with the best fighters in the world.”
The Danish competitor believes he will thrive under the new team he joined for this training camp.
“Having an ambition of becoming the best in the world, you need the best people around you. This camp, I flew out to Scottsdale, I joined the Fight Ready Team, the same gym as Henry Cejudo.”
“What I really recognized down there is that, man they’re running championship camps,” said Madsen. “I feel like I’ve found a place, a home, a set-up, people that can help me develop my maximum potential.”
For now, Madsen is fully focused on the fight he has ahead of him come Saturday in the co-main event against Guida at UFC Vegas 34.