LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 12: John Makedssi of Canada prepares to face Yancy Medeiros in their lightweight bout during the UFC 194 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

John Makdessi says that it was Mickey Gall who injured him before his bout with Sage Northcutt which forced him to withdraw from the fight.

When the UFC announced that the fight between John Makdessi and Sage Northcutt was canceled due to an injury to both fighters, MMA fans gave a heavy sigh and then moved on, but for Makdessi this wasn’t just any routine fight injury — this moment signified a pivotal change in his fight career.

Makdessi, who spoke to FanSided this week, says that it was fellow fighter Mickey Gall (who was visiting TriStar) who injured him just a few weeks shy of his fight.

“Mickey gall is a f**king punk,” Makdessi said. “He’s a deceiving, fake a** b***ch.”

He explained that while cutting weight for his fight with Northcutt he did a round of what was supposed to be light sparring with Gall. He says that while the pair where on the mat Gall suplexed him hard where he fell square on his shoulder. Gall, who fights at a higher weight class landed on top of Makdessi’s shoulder. He suffered a shoulder sprain that took over a month to heal.

“I heard a crunch and the pain was immediate,” he said. “I really didn’t want to cause a commotion but I looked in his eyes and thought ‘Are you a f**king idiot?'”

Makdessi says that in addition to the fight-ending injury, he was not backed up by his gym TriStar, he says that they ignored what happened which was ultimately led to him leaving the gym he’s been with since he was an amateur.

“I don’t feel like it’s my home,” he said. “I never felt like it was my home. I was never really happy there, but I do appreciate what they did for me.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaJ1sd0lWEW/?taken-by=johnmakdessi

He says that he doesn’t hold a grudge with anyone at TriStar, and isn’t saying it’s a bad place, it just wasn’t where he was meant to be.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad gym,” he said. “It’s just about what works for me and doesn’t work for me. I’m not disrespecting anybody, I want that to be very clear. I’m not bitter.”

He says that his reason for leaving had more to do with himself than anyone around him.

“In the end, I disrespected myself by letting other people dictate my way,” he said.

For Makdessi’s next fight he plans to train with Duke Roufus and his team over at Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“When I met Duke we talked a long time,” Makdessi said. “I was emotionally drained. I think he understands where I am coming from.”

Makdessi says that despite being at TriStar since his amateur days he never felt comfortable and always felt like he was misunderstood. He was always searching for something else – something he thinks he’s found at Roufusport.

“It was never about how many UFC fighters they have,” said Makdessi. “[Roufusport] has a good structure, I need a good platform.”

Makdessi is coming off a loss to Lando Vannata at UFC 206 and is looking to get back in the win column with a new team behind him when he faces Abel Truijillo at UFC Fight Night Winnipeg in December.