Mixed martial artist Shem Rock revealed his surprise after being released from the UFC roster following his recent loss, noting that he accepted a fight at UFC London while dealing with an injury in hopes of building goodwill with the promotion.
Expectations of Goodwill
Rock admitted he was hesitant to take the contest due to his physical condition, but ultimately decided to compete to assist the organization. He anticipated that stepping up under difficult circumstances would earn him another opportunity inside the Octagon.
Speaking about his departure in an interview shared by Home of Fight, Rock expressed disappointment in how the situation unfolded after he agreed to fight through his injury.
“I was surprised, I was thinking the UFC would give me one more. I felt like I went above and beyond, I didn’t wanna do UFC London. I did it injured. I felt like I should’ve just stayed on the bench, I thought it was a ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ kinda deal. It’s more about what you’ve done for me recently, it is what it is. No use crying over spilled milk,” Rock said.
Reflecting on the decision, Rock stated that remaining on the sidelines to fully recover would have been the better option, accepting that the promotion prioritized recent results over his willingness to fight while hurt.
