Martin Kampmann was once one of the top welterweights in the UFC, but retired from active competition due to the effects of the concussions he's suffered, during both fighting and training in MMA. Kampmann, who is now training fighters instead of battling against them, offers this advice to those who are entering the MMA world.
“I think if I could give any advice to younger fighters, probably limit your hard sparring,” Kampmann said on MMA Junkie Radio. “I stopped because I didn’t want to get any more concussions because that will mess with your head a little bit. I had a couple of fights where I wasn’t giving myself enough time to heal up before I took the next fight. I think that messed me up, for sure.”
Kampmann, who will most likely be spending the rest of his life dealing with the effects of the concussions he suffered, says that he is mostly healthy, as long as he gets a good nights sleep.
“I feel healthy as long as I get my sleep,” Kampmann said. “I’ve been down to the gym, but if I do five rounds of sparring, I’ll get a headache. That’s why I don’t go spar. … When you start having headaches from little things, that’s a good sign you’ve been pushing it.”
Kampmann hasn’t competed since suffering a fourth round TKo loss to Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 27 in August 2013, he retired from competition on a two fight losing streak.
