Not only did Randy Brown have to deal with a game opponent at
UFC Fight Night 194, but he also had to battle through a
mangled toe for much of Saturday’s co-main event at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas.
“It just snapped out of place,” Brown said at Saturday’s post-fight
press conference. “The big toe snapped out of place at the joint
high up on the foot there. But it kept going back in. I kept
putting it back in. Interesting experience.”
The broadcast team pointed out that Brown’s foot appeared to be
compromised after landing a front kick to Jared Gooden’s chin early
in the fight, but it was unclear how much it would negatively
affect the welterweight known as “Rude Boy.” In the moment, Brown
just relied on instinct to treat the injury as best he knew how so
he could continue competing.
“I put it back in,” Brown said. “It came out and I looked at it. I
was like, ‘All right.’ It’s crazy the thought and the instinct just
kicks in. [It’s like], ‘Let me just step on that,’ because it looks
like protruding through my skin, so I just stepped on it and it
snapped back in.”
Everything worked out for the best for the ex-Ring of Combat
champion, as he continued to attack Gooden with jabs, punching
combinations and the occasional flying knee en route a unanimous
decision triumph over an opponent who missed weight by three pounds
one day prior.
Brown said that he didn’t spend too much time worrying about his
toe during the fight.
“There’s a killer like Jared Gooden in front of you,” he said.
“You’re more worried about him than a dislocated toe. He’s throwing
bombs with big power. I’m more worried about getting knocked out
than my toe.”
The Budokan Martial Arts Academy representative admitted that his
power was hindered as the action progressed, which left him unable
to pursue the finish with as much enthusiasm as he might have
liked.
“The only thing it affected was me being able to drive. I had to
fight a certain way,” Brown said. “I had to just touch him with my
punches. I couldn’t really sit and dig on punches. Every time I sat
and twisted, it snapped out and I’m like, ‘Great.’ I started just
pawing at him and open-hand slapping at him. I had to
improvise.”