In an article over at Sherdog.com, Corey Hill talks about the fight at UFC Fight For The Troops, the gruesome leg snapping, and his future in the sport.
His take on what happened:
“My corner and I felt I’d won the first round,” said Hill of his brief clash with Hartt. “There’s a certain amount of things that have to line up to be perfect. Everything was lined up. I threw a kick. He checked it.”
...
“The minute I landed it, it was like my body was going off that something was wrong. I immediately extended my arms like, ‘My leg, my leg, my leg! No!’" he said. “I knew something was wrong. When I tried to plant it and it wasn’t there, I knew something was wrong.”
On why he didn't tap out, and instead tried to get a kimura:
“It was funny, ‘cause it was there,” laughed Hill. “Looking at my ankle, I knew something was wrong… but I’m like, ‘Yo, can I get him with the Kimura?’ Obviously I couldn’t finish it. I was in too much pain, I was just probably protecting myself.”
...
“I remember lifting my head up and I looked at it and I saw the bottom of my foot. I’d never seen the bottom of my foot before,” said Hill.
What does he have to say to people who think he is too skinny to fight?
“I’ve always been a thin guy with not a lot of body fat,” said Hill. "I walk around on normal days at 166 [pounds]. When I train, I’m in the low 60s, so it makes sense to cut a few pounds rather than fight these guys that are 185-200 pounds cutting down to 170. If they think this guy’s too skinny, that’s their opinion. I have people on the other side that say that my body type’s the perfect frame to win a world title.”
...
“Kick something as hard as you can,” he said. “I don’t think it matters if you’re a big guy or a small guy, you kick something as hard as you can and it runs into science. Action and reaction. For it to snap -- the perfect check, the perfect knee. If you noticed in the first round, I landed some killer leg kicks. That’s why he checked. This is why this happened.”
But he fully intends to fight again, and he aims for the top:
“People are like, ‘Wow, you want to rush back into that after your injury?’ People that aren’t in love with things don’t know how hard it is to walk away from them,” said Hill.
...
“I started this to win a belt,” he said. “It’s a little confusing when things like this happen as far as a mental setback, but physically, if my body is willing, I’m going to get back out there. I’m looking forward to making big news with the comeback.”
Power to ya, Corey. But it wouldn't hurt for you to put a little meat on them bones.
Some other interesting bits from the article:
* The emergency crew couldn't give Hill painkillers, because the IV kept popping out of his thin arms.
* Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White called Hill at the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center to wish him a speedy recovery.
* The UFC paid for his medical treatment, and even left an employee with him for six days in the hospital.
