Dragged 60ft under a bus, now fighting for a UFC contract
British MMA fighter Liam McCracken, who was dragged 18 metres under a bus in a near-fatal accident three years ago, competes on Dana White's Contender Series in Las Vegas this week for a UFC contract.
Liverpool fighter Liam McCracken, 25, faces Mexican lightweight Silvestre Sanchez on Tuesday in Las Vegas, fighting for a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series — almost three years after an accident that nearly killed him.
While out on a run near his home, McCracken stepped into the road without checking properly and was struck by a bus. He was dragged underneath it for about 18 metres over seven seconds before it came to a stop. Bystanders, including a paramedic carrying life-saving equipment in their car, helped stem his bleeding before an ambulance arrived — without their help, McCracken believes he could have bled to death.
The crash left him with four fractures in his back, two slipped discs in his neck, three broken ribs, a broken pelvis and nose, a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and a torn meniscus in his knee, plus numerous other injuries. The bus driver could not switch off the engine, as doing so would have lowered the suspension and risked crushing McCracken further — a passer-by had to help guide the bus away from him.
McCracken says that after regaining consciousness, his first concern was for his young daughter. Doctors considered fitting a metal rod in his back, which would have ended his fighting career, but repeated X-rays showed it was not needed. He later underwent major knee surgery as part of a long recovery.
Almost two years after the accident, he returned to competition, winning by rear-naked choke against Brazil's Jhon Bryan, though he admits he felt disconnected during the bout, as if watching events from outside his body. Before the accident, McCracken had won five of six professional fights and was regarded as a rising UFC prospect.
He says the experience has made him far more grateful for everyday life, including simply being able to walk. Now a father of two, McCracken views MMA as a route to financial security for his family that an ordinary job could not provide, with Tuesday's fight marking a major step in his recovery and career.
