Global Combat Sports Injury Report: Namajunas Cleared to Train as Tawanchai Reaches Crucial Rehab Milestone

The mid-2026 combat sports calendar is receiving a massive boost as several high-profile fighters cross critical thresholds in their injury rehabilitations. Across the UFC, ONE Championship, and the global boxing circuit, modern sports medicine and grueling physical therapy are paving the way for major returns.[1][2]

Headlining the wave of positive medical updates is former two-time UFC women's strawweight champion Rose Namajunas. After spending the first half of the year sidelined by a severe eye poke suffered during her decision loss to Natalia Silva at UFC 324 in January, Namajunas has officially been cleared to resume full training.[1]

Namajunas documented the final procedure of her eye recovery on social media, confirming that both her eye and a lingering thumb issue are fully healed. While she admitted to being slightly out of fight shape after the three-month layoff, her return to the gym signals that she is ready to re-enter the strawweight contender conversation.[1]

However, the former champion is using her recovery to advocate for structural changes in mixed martial arts. Pointing to the severity of her injury, Namajunas called for instant purse deductions for eye pokes, arguing that even accidental fouls carry long-term health consequences that demand stiffer penalties from athletic commissions.[1]

Halfway across the world, ONE Championship featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai is hitting a crucial milestone in his own grueling recovery. Tawanchai suffered a suspected broken leg during a shock first-round TKO loss to Liu Mengyang at ONE Friday Fights 137 in December 2025.[2]

Following successful surgery to stabilize the fracture, Tawanchai and his medical team laid out a seven-to-12-month recovery timeline. Now crossing that seven-month threshold in July 2026, the Thai superstar's rehabilitation is progressing exactly as planned, keeping his hopes alive for a late-year return to the Circle.[2]

Tawanchai's extended absence forced ONE Championship to introduce an interim featherweight Muay Thai title, but the 26-year-old has remained fiercely optimistic. Throughout his physical therapy, he has repeatedly vowed to return at 100 percent, with his camp targeting a full unification bout once he receives final medical clearance for impact training.[2]

In the boxing world, the heavyweight division is welcoming back one of its brightest prospects. British heavyweight Moses Itauma has been fully cleared and is back in the gym after a grade two bicep tear derailed his early 2026 schedule.

Itauma initially tried to push through the pain during sparring before his promoter, Frank Warren, mandated an MRI. The scan revealed the tear, forcing the postponement of his highly anticipated clash with Jermaine Franklin. With the muscle now fully healed, Itauma is ramping up his sparring rounds without limitations.

In the lighter weight classes, three-weight world champion Junto Nakatani is recovering steadily following his May undisputed junior featherweight clash with pound-for-pound great Naoya Inoue. Nakatani suffered a fractured left orbital bone from an 11th-round uppercut during the competitive 12-round decision loss.[3]

Nakatani underwent successful surgery last month to repair the orbital fracture and has reported positive progress. Despite the physical toll of the bout, the 26-year-old southpaw views the grueling fight as an "irreplaceable experience" and is already plotting his return to the championship picture once his facial injuries are fully calcified.[3]

Meanwhile, the crossover boxing scene is dealing with its own slate of medical evaluations. Jake Paul is currently awaiting the results of new scans on his jaw, which was shattered during a December 2025 bout against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

Paul, who required titanium plates to repair the damage, noted that the bone is feeling significantly better, but the upcoming medical review will determine if he can ever safely take a punch again. Concurrently, fellow influencer-turned-boxer KSI confirmed he is awaiting hand surgery, which will sideline him for the foreseeable future.[4]

Ultimately, this wave of injury updates underscores the brutal reality of combat sports—and the remarkable resilience of its athletes. With Namajunas back on the mats, Itauma hitting the heavy bag, and Tawanchai clearing major rehab hurdles, fans can expect a stacked fourth quarter as these stars transition from the physical therapy clinic back to the global stage.[1][2]