Martin Kampmann (right) avoids a left hook from Jacob Volkmann during their welterweight bout Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Kampmann won the fight by submission in the first round.
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 | 3:15 p.m.
Martin Kampmann: Eye Injury Update
UFC welterweight Martin Kampmann talks about his recent eye injury.
Martin Kampmann shows off a nasty cut over his right eye he sustained while training at Xtreme Couture in February 2010.
The Las Vegas Ski and Snow Resort at Mt. Charleston received a good snowfall last weekend, creating some of the best skiing and snowboarding conditions so far this season.
Although UFC welterweight Martin Kampmann would much rather be preparing for a March 27 fight against Ben Saunders at UFC 111 than snowboarding, carving down the mountain the last few days has proven to be a decent alternative.
"Of course, number one, it sucks," said Kampmann, who had to pull out of the UFC 111 fight earlier this month because of a nasty cut he took while sparring at Xtreme Couture. "I was looking forward to fighting. But I'm trying to look at it positive, and it's nice to not worry about a fight for a little bit.
"When you're training for a fight, you're not going snowboarding."
The cut over Kampmann's right eye looked surprisingly well during a workout Wednesday morning — much better than it did in the picture Kampmann posted to the Internet shortly after the injury, in which it appeared to go all the way to his bone.
According to Kampmann, the cut may have actually been healed enough to still fight Saunders in March, but it wasn't worth the risk.
"Maybe I could have still fought, but I'm taking the smart choice and letting it heal," Kampmann said. "The doctor says there's a risk if it get's any impact on it, it will open right back up. It was so deep they had to stitch it on the inside and then close it and stitch it on the outside.
"I decided to let it heal first. It would suck to get in a fight and take a stupid jab that would open it right back up."
That said, Kampmann isn't willing to take an extended time period off, just long enough for the injury to develop a little more resilience.
"I know there will probably be a little bigger risk with it," Kampmann said. "But as long as it's not going to open up for just a smurf kick, it's good."
The injury happened when Kampmann shot in on a teammate and took a knee directly above his right eye.
While Kampmann said it's definitely the worst cut he's ever had in his career, he smiled as he admitted to taking the nasty picture of the injury under circumstances that made it look especially grotesque.
"In the mirror it didn't look that bad," Kampmann said. "That picture was taken down at the doctor's office after he had cleaned it out and make it look a little more nasty."
With the cut healing well, Kampmann (16-3) remains hopeful he will be back in action as early as May but said he might have to wait until June because the UFC schedules its cards so far in advance.
UFC 113 will take place May 8 in Montreal and, although it's not officially announced, is expected to return to Las Vegas on May 29 for UFC 114.
"It's up to the UFC, they book their cards so far ahead that all the cards are really booked," Kampmann said. "I may have to wait until June but they know I want to fight earlier. If I don't get one, then that's what happens. You don't just get a spot by calling them up and telling them what date you want, it has to fit in the bigger picture."
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected]. Also follow him on twitter: LVSunFighting.
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