Joe Stevenson needs Obama's help!

Insurance-less Joe Stevenson heads to Mexico, still wants Takanori Gomi fight

http://mmajunkie.com/news/20140/without-insurance-ufcs-joe-stevenson-hea...

This past Friday, UFC lightweight Joe Stevenson postponed an interview with MMAjunkie.com about his career plans.

Why? He was headed across the border to Tijuana, Mexico.

No, he didn't get a good deal on prescriptions, hit the club scene, or pick up some kitsch. He went because he didn't have health insurance, and X-rays on his knee proved cheaper across the border.

Stevenson (31-11 MMA, 8-5 UFC) was supposed to face Takanori Gomi this past Sunday in San Diego at UFC on Versus 2. However, he was forced to withdraw when he tweaked his knee in training five weeks prior to the bout. Gomi instead took on Tyson Griffin and knocked him out with a wicked right hand in the first round of the Versus-televised bout.

Despite the cancellation, Stevenson still badly wants the Gomi fight and hopes both the UFC and fans want to see him take on the Japanese star. He plans to call matchmaker Joe Silva to throw his name in the hat of possible future opponents.

However, Stevenson's X-ray technician in Tijuana said he may have a partial tear of his LCL (lateral collateral ligament) or PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). Regardless, he believes he doesn't need surgery. And if he doesn't need surgery, he wants to fight.

So, he started training on the knee for the first time today at the gym he owns in Victorville, Calif. It hurt, but you'll never hear him complain.

Stevenson is just one of many fighters who doesn't have health insurance and meets his health needs by hook or by crook while often relying on a network of friends and sympathetic professionals to receive medical care.

This is the part of MMA you rarely hear about, but Stevenson recounts the details of this weekend like it were any other. The trip took all day on Friday, and he got back in time to watch the fights in San Diego.

He said the Tijuana checkup was also much easier down south because he's friends with the city's district attorney.

The former lightweight contender once had health insurance through his wife, Maia, but lost it when she stopped working after giving birth to their second son. At one point, he applied for health insurance and listed his occupation as "Fighter." He said the premium he was quoted was more than $500 a month.

And before that, an overconfident Stevenson thought he simply wouldn't need coverage and could avoid injury.

"I'm going to have to take full blame for that," Stevenson joked.

Stevenson now is working with a new accountant who's going to help him set up a corporation. He can use it to gain easier access to health insurance. He'll also consult with his manager on whether surgery is necessary.

More than anything, he's just anxious to get back in the cage.

"I would love to fight Gomi next," Stevenson said. "Hopefully, I get a chance. He's one of the best fighters ever at the weight. He's now had time to adjust, and he's not an easy fight for anyone."

While he doesn't fault Griffin's approach in Sunday's fight, Stevenson said he would have stayed on the outside of Gomi's striking range before charging in for a takedown. He used to train with Griffin, and they are both known for outstanding grappling skills, though Stevenson repeats an oft-used saying that anyone can be knocked out with the UFC's four-ounce gloves.

"You never know until you're out there," he said.

Stevenson plans to attend UFC 118 later this month and is picking Gray Maynard over Kenny Florian in a bout that's expected to determine the next official title challenger.

He sounds optimistic about his future, and at the same time, you get the sense he's going to have his way whether his body likes it or not. That's only one small part of the life of a famous fighter.

"There's a lot more to fighting than anyone even knows," he said. "There's dealing with family life, dealing with gym life, (and) dealing with the people who all of a sudden jump into your life.

"And then having to fight in front of a few million people. There's so much to it; it can burden you. I think what happened was that I looked forward, looked forward, (and) then I finally got [a health insurance quote], and it was like, 'That's horrible.' Then I got hurt, and I was like, 'That's silly.' I need to put less pressure on myself."