Michael Chiesa says back injury delaying UFC return: 'I've got to make sure my body's right'

LAS VEGAS – UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa wants to make sure he’s completely healthy before returning to action.

Chiesa (17-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) is currently dealing with a nagging back injury, and the 34-year-old doesn’t think it’s worth the risk of competing while compromised.

“I actually sustained a back injury like at the end of February, early March, so I’ve just kind of been on the mend with that,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “But being out here (at International Fight Week), big fight feels out here, so I got the itch to compete again, but I’ve got to make sure my body’s right.”

The Season 15 “Ultimate Fighter” winner got off to a hot start when he moved back up to welterweight in 2018, amassing a four-fight winning streak. However, Chiesa has now dropped two straight to Vicente Luque and most recently Sean Brady last November, so he wants to ensure that he’s healthy when trying to snap his skid.

“It’s kind of been an ongoing issue,” Chiesa said. “But that’s the good thing about the UFC PI. They’re taking care of me; they’re making sure I’m getting taken care of. It’s important for me especially with where I’m at, coming off two losses, I can’t go into a fight and like handicap myself, trying to put a band aid on an injury that needs to be stitched up.

“So that’s the most important thing is just to make sure I’m healthy, but I’m hungry. I got the fire. I want to fight. The welterweight division is really getting interesting, a lot of prospects coming up, a lot of veterans that are well established in the division are still shining bright, so I just want to make sure I’m healthy before I get back in there.”