So this is gonna be a tough post. After
multiple tests on my heart including a Cardiac MRI and talking with
multiple Cardiologists, I have been informed that I got a bad
ticker. I have a Congenital bicuspid aortic valve with dilated
aortic root. Unfortunately I was born with this— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170)
April 8, 2021
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the PFL live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. 2019 Professional Fighters League welterweight
finalist David
Michaud may be forced to retire for health reasons. On Thursday, Michaud posted on Twitter
that he had been diagnosed with a rare condition called a
congenital bicuspid aortic valve along with a dilated aortic
root. This ailment, which was identified by multiple
cardiologists, could result in major damage including an aortic
dissection – where a layer inside the heart actually tears. Due to
this unfortunate health crisis, Michaud had no choice but to
withdraw from his upcoming appearance against Rory
MacDonald at
PFL 2 of the 2021 Regular Season, and he may not be able to
compete in the sport again.
“So this is gonna be a tough post,” Michaud wrote. “After multiple
tests on my heart including a cardiac MRI and talking with multiple
cardiologists, I have been informed that I got a bad ticker. I have
a congenital bicuspid aortic valve with dilated aortic root.
Unfortunately I was born with this…”
Michaud continued, “Because of the dilation of the aorta, fighting
puts me at risk for an aortic dissection — a tear in the aorta.
That would be fatal under almost all circumstances. For this
reason, I will not be able to fight Rory
MacDonald on April 29th, and unless anything changes, ever
again.”
A three-time Ultimate Fighting Championship vet from 2014 to
2015, “Bulldawg” bounced around multiple promotions including
Titan Fighting Championships, Legacy Fighting Alliance and Bellator MMA over the years as a pro. The
MMA Lab rep joined PFL in 2019, where he actually dropped his
first match to Sadibou
Sy.
After his first-round loss to Sy – at the time the second-quickest
knockout in company history in just 17 seconds – Michaud rebounded
by knocking Handesson
Ferreira out. This six-point win for Michaud allowed him to
reach the playoffs, where he beat John Howard
and Glaico
Franca in one night to make it to the finals. The South Dakotan
fell short by second-round knockout to season victor Ray Cooper
III, and his hope was to run through the 2021 tournament and
exact revenge on Cooper. As of now, the 32-year-old’s career will
be put on hold indefinitely.
