Although UFC welterweight Matt Brown estimates he’s probably suffered “hundreds” of concussions in his fighting career, he got his first official diagnosis in 2015.

The treatment he subsequently received was an experience he’d rather forget.

“I had to sit in my room for 10 days with no lights, no loud noises, no TV, no reading,” Brown told MMAjunkie Radio. “Like, literally stare at the wall and do nothing for 10 days, like jail.”

It’s for that reason that Brown isn’t in a rush to return to the octagon two months after suffering his first TKO loss in a fight against Jake Ellenberger at UFC 201.

Ellenberger (31-11 MMA, 9-8 UFC) caught Brown (20-15 MMA, 13-9 UFC) early with a punch and knocked him off his feet, though Brown was able to recover and give chase for a counterattack. When a body kick caught him flush, however, he quickly faded as Ellenberger landed more punches.

Brown maintains he wasn’t knocked out, but he’s nonetheless concerned about long-term damage. That’s a serious shift for a fighter known as one of the more gritty competitors in the cage.

“It’s the first time from a head shot that I’ve been dropped in my entire life, and I’ve sparred with heavyweights and big guys,” said Brown. “I hope that I can speak near-full sentences when I’m done fighting.”

Brown admits he couldn’t do so after that first concussion. He said he would get up from bed to use the restroom and suddenly fall, not knowing why.

“Now that I’ve been through that, I want to be extra careful,” he said.

This week, Brown started thinking about a return to the octagon after taking the first vacation of his adult life at a Legoland theme park. He had his first training session earlier this week and would like to fight by the end of the year or early next year.

“I would love New York (at UFC 205), but I’m really fat right now,” Brown said.

The loss left Brown with a 1-4 record in his past five outings, which makes his road to a title shot longer than ever. Although his recent fights haven’t gone his way, he said he hasn’t lost sight of his motivation and is still driven to be the best welterweight he can be.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the external motivation of winning the UFC belt, he said. Instead, he likes to think in terms of internal motivation, of the fulfillment of performing at his best every time he steps into the octagon.

“There’s still a lot of hunger in my heart,” Brown said. “I’m still pressing toward the ultimate goal. I still, to this day, remember my motivation. I still remember what it’s like to go to a UFC and have that dream in my head.”

There are signs along the way that keep him focused on that dream. Attending this past Saturday’s UFC 203, he was approached by the sister of welterweight prospect Mickey Gall, who dominated former pro-wrestling champ Phil “CM Punk” Brooks.

“She had a tear in her eye, saying how I inspired her,” Brown said. “That put a tear in my eye, too.”

So Brown will pick himself back up and begin the process of sharpening his skills. This time, though, he’ll try to avoid unnecessary damage.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show, available on SiriusXM Ch. 93, is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.