Inside Liam McCracken’s incredible journey from being dragged under a bus to fighting for UFC contract in Dana White’s Contender Series

Liam McCracken is preparing for the biggest fight of his career on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 25-year-old Briton will face Mexican lightweight Silvestre Sanchez in Las Vegas on Tuesday. But just three years ago, McCracken was fighting for his life after being hit by a bus near his home in Liverpool. He was dragged underneath the vehicle for 18 metres before it stopped. Doctors initially feared his injuries could end his MMA career.Remarkably, McCracken recovered and returned to professional fighting almost two years after the accident. He has since rebuilt his career and is now one victory away from potentially earning a UFC contract. The experience has changed his outlook on life and made him more grateful for even the simplest things.How Liam McCracken overcame his horrific bus accident to chase UFC dreamLiam McCracken was out for a run near his Liverpool home when disaster struck. He stepped into the road without properly checking for traffic and was hit by a bus.The Briton says he only saw the vehicle at the last moment. He was then dragged underneath it for around 18 metres, or 60 feet, over seven seconds.A couple who witnessed the accident found McCracken unconscious and bleeding heavily. They believed he was dead.Fortunately, several passers-by rushed to help. One of them was a paramedic who had life-saving equipment in their car. McCracken believes their quick response saved his life.“For the first few days I wasn’t caring about anything else other than the fact that I was alive. I have a little daughter and apparently the people who found me said that was the first thing I kept speaking about when I regained consciousness. I kept asking about my little girl while I was on the floor getting seen by people. The main thing was I was glad to be alive”, McCracken told BBC Sport.McCracken suffered a long list of serious injuries. He fractured his back four times and suffered two slipped discs in his neck. He also broke three ribs, his pelvis and nose.His injuries also included a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, a torn meniscus and several other wounds.The situation was even more frightening because McCracken was unconscious beneath the bus while its engine was burning him. The driver could not simply switch the engine off because the suspension could have dropped and crushed him.Eventually, a pedestrian helped the driver move the bus away.Before the accident, McCracken had won five of his first six professional fights. He was already being tipped as a future UFC fighter.His recovery lasted almost two years. Doctors even warned that he might need a metal rod in his back, which could have ended his MMA career. Thankfully, further X-rays showed that the rod was not required.“I feel really good and after everything I’ve been through I feel like I’m ready, mentally, for anything in life,” McCracken added.Now, McCracken has a chance to complete his remarkable journey with a UFC contract. With two children, McCracken wants MMA to provide financial freedom for his family.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.