Rafael Lovato Jr. Reveals Problematic Brain Disease Diagnosis
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| Photo Credit: Bellator MMA Rafael Lovato Jr. has revealed he's been diagnosed with cavernoma. |
Current Bellator MMA middleweight champion, Rafael Lovato Jr. has revealed on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, that he has been diagnosed with a brain disease called, cavernoma, after a routine brain scan.
The Ohio native recently claimed the 185-pound title, in a unanimous decision triumph over the decorated Dutch kickboxer, Gegard Mousasi and revealed how before that bout in June of last year, was not required to undergo a pre-fight brain scan as part of his medical. The grappling expert is undefeated in his six-year professional career and is a 4th. degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the renowned, Saulo Ribeiro.
Speaking with UFC colour-commentator, comedian, and podcaster, Joe Rogan, Lovato Jr. revealed the rare brain disease for the first time. The 36-year-old was first made aware of the brain disease after undergoing an MRI in May ahead of his bout with Mousasi. In the days following the brain scan, Lovato's radiologist told how he believed he had the rare disease, cavernoma. A cavernoma is a cluster of abnormal blood vessels that can cause seizures, stroke symptoms, hemorrhages, and headaches and is believed to be a hereditary disease.
"I should have brought in the pictures (of the brain scan)," Lovato said to Rogan before the middleweight champion's wife brought them from his car. "I have several little spots, like all over (on his brain). These are just the pictures, obviously, they look better on the disc. That's what I saw, when I was on my way to Brazil, going to train. You can see the little ones (cavernoma's), that are around but they weren't too concerned with those, yet. It's the big one. It was heavy - it's still heavy. Well, this is my coming out party I guess you could say. But this is a hereditary thing. The extreme ends are, you live with this and it's never a problem in your whole life. The other side is, it's a problem, right from the beginning and you have to have multiple surgeries and bad things happen."
Lovato Jr. would go on to explain how he would not be officially retiring from professional mixed-martial-arts when questioned by Rogan.
"I'm not officially retiring. I am, sort of, I guess indefinitely on the sidelines right now. I am actively seeing more doctors and working more towards learning more about this (disease). Obviously, I want to keep fighting."
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