Sometimes, all it takes is the right platform to make your voice heard, and former UFC star Darren Stewart found his. Right now, he is fighting the “hardest fight” of his life, as stage 4 arthritis and a torn labrum have left him in “constant pain.” Because of this, the 14-UFC fight veteran launched “GoFundMe” to raise donations for surgery. Notably, Dana White & Co. quickly took notice.

Darren Stewart last fought in the UFC in 2021, primarily competing in the middleweight division. After leaving the promotion, he tried his hand at Cage Warriors and boxing, but the pain eventually forced him to stop. Notably, his social media plea went viral, spreading from England to Las Vegas, following which Dana White & UFC stepped in to offer support. At first, Stewart thought the phone call from UFC headquarters was a prank, but in reality, it quickly proved to be otherwise.

“We want to help,” Darren Stewart confirms UFC’s commitment

“I got a phone call a few weeks ago. Someone called me from an American number, and at first I couldn’t see who it was. The UFC said, ‘Look, we want to help you. We saw your situation online….I thought it was a prank call. He goes, “You’ve done so much for the country, for us. We can’t see you suffer. We want to help,’” said Darren Stewart in his latest video posted by MMA Orbit on X.

In recent times, the UFC has recently stepped up in charity, actively supporting figures across the MMA world. Just this week, Dana White, along with the UFC Foundation,provided support to the family of the late MMA video editor Abdur Rob Subhan, also known as Abby. Now, Darren Stewart joins those in urgent need. His surgery costs between £10,000 and £15,000, but his GoFundMe only asked for £4,000. So far, supporters have raised £3,480.

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“I knew it was real because someone who used to look after us after fights in the hospital got in touch. She messaged me saying, “Hey, long time.” I was like, “What? I thought this was a prank.” She goes, “No, not a prank. It’s real. Let’s get the details, paperwork done, and get new hips.,” ‘The Dentist’ added.

“Even my old manager called me and said it was true. I was just like, “What the f*** is going on here? Why me?” I honestly wanted to break down in tears. I don’t care how much I fight, I’m an emotional person,” the Briton added.

Stewart hasn’t fought since last year, after losing to former UFC star Darren Till in the Misfit Boxing matchup by decision. He then launched his GoFundMe back in November, which drew criticism from fans questioning how a UFC veteran couldn’t afford a £15,000 surgery.

However, the UFC has now stepped in to support him, allowing the Briton to finally move forward with his surgery, which only requires hip resurfacing, not a full replacement.

Darren Stewart reveals the hellish struggle behind his injury and daily pain

Darren Stewart does not plan to return to MMA after his surgery, but he will “definitely” stay open to boxing. With kids and a lot of responsibilities, he wants to focus on what he can manage. The good news is that his hip won’t require a full replacement, but for years, pain and misery dominated his life.

Even in his last boxing fight against Darren Till, ‘The Dentist’ pushed through the pain. Looking back on his experience, he revealed that people asked him, even at the age of three, why he walked the way he did. During those difficult times, Stewart tried various remedies suggested by others.

“For years people told me try this, try that. He said they weren’t wrong, but this hip issue is the reason why I’m tired and tight. So let me not waffle on. I just want to say thank you to everybody. Thank you so much. I still can’t believe this is happening,” said Darren Stewart in his latest message.

“And no matter how big or strong we are, mental health is real. I’ve had some depressing times. Talk to somebody. It’s not a joke. My friends helped me when I didn’t want to do this. I’m stubborn, and I’d rather stay in pain than change, but you can change,” he added.

Given the situation Stewart found himself in, do you think the promotion could prevent situations like this by paying fighters a fair amount, so they don’t have to rely on £4,000 fundraising campaigns? Share your thoughts below.