Stefan Struve talks about the dark period when he contemplated a different career path

Stefan Struve may only be 28-years-old, but he’s in the 11th year of his career, having made his debut when he was just 17. During that time, the 7 foot tall “Skyscraper” has logged an impressive 27-8 record, with his most recent win coming by way of a 16-second knockout over Antonio Silva. It was exactly as he’d predicted in the days leading up to the fight, and it was something he felt he needed; a dominant performance to begin his ascension up the title ladder.

It wasn’t too long ago that Struve had contemplated getting out of the fight game, though. The later months of 2013 and well into 2014 were emotionally and physically challenging for him. It was discovered that he was suffering from a heart condition called bicuspid aortic valve. He was put on a round of medication for a few months to treat the condition. Shortly before he was cleared to fight, his father lost his battle with cancer in October, 2013.

Stefan was cleared to fight in early 2014 and scheduled to face Matt Mitrione in July on the UFC 175 card, but he ended up feinting in the locker room, and was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. His return to Octagon action was in December 2014, and has seen him go 2-2 since then.

In a recent interview with the Three Amigos Podcast, Struve talked about that dark period in …

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