Back in April 2007, Karo Parisyan faced an opponent more menacing than any that would ever step foot inside the octagon. So menacing in fact that Karo Parisyan might not have set foot inside the octagon that night. History shows us that on this night Karo Parisyan would suffer his first technical knockout of his career, but what we didn’t know until recently, was that Karo Parisyan was suffering from panic attacks.
According to the American Psychological Association, one out of every seventy-five people suffer from this disorder. So Karo Parisyan was not alone with his experiences from this disorder. The symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can also be as short as fifteen minutes, while sometimes panic attacks may form a series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes even hours.
Panic attacks affect people differently. Those that experience these episodes frequently may be able to completely endure a panic attack with little to no obvious symptoms or external signs. Others, notably first-time sufferers, may call for emergency services; many that experience a panic attack for the first time fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown. Shortness of breath is a common symptom.
On the night of his first technical knockout loss, Karo told a close friend he suddenly wanted to go home instead of enter the octagon against his opponent for the night. He would eventually put his uneasiness aside and fight that night, but he was clearly not the same fighter we were used to seeing in the octagon. He would only make it to the second round of the fight before the fight was stopped, thus giving Karo his first technical knockout loss of his career.
Karo didn’t know at the time what exactly was wrong with him, but he knew it wasn’t normal. He would eventually see a doctor about his condition as it continued. Five months later Karo has made small strides to combat this sudden condition with help from his doctors. The question still remains though, is Karo Parisyan ready to enter the octagon for his upcoming fight against Yoshiyuki Yoshida? The two will battle at UFC 88 on Sept. 6 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
If Karo is not fully recovered from this condition, can he hold it back or work through it enough to be himself before and during the fight; thus allowing him to continue his career as a UFC fighter while he works through this ordeal or will he suffer another loss whether technical or total; forcing him out of the business temporarily or permanent? Time will tell and the world will be watching.
