"Show me the person, I'll show you the fighter. Show me the fighter and I'll show you the person" - Aaron Aby had that very mantra instilled in him from his dad when he was very young and has used it in all of the challenges life has thrown at him.
Told he wouldn't live past 16 after being born with cystic fibrosis, the professional MMA fighter was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2017 - fighting his last bout against Danny Missin without even knowing he had the disease.
He even delayed his chemotherapy as he and his partner Hayley were trying to have a baby through IVF, but then had to have six lots of the treatment, as well as two surgeries to remove both the testicle and lymph mass in his stomach.
Because of his cystic fibrosis, a genetic, inherited disease that affects the lung and the digestive system and makes it hard to breathe and to digest food and enzymes, the 29-year old had a first of its kind surgery in the UK where he wasn't able to have general anesthetic.
He wasn't supposed to be back training again until February 2020 and he's lost 15 per cent lung function as a result of the chemotherapy, but after a long and arduous journey, Aby returned to the cage.
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