15 UFC main events that ended prematurely due to freak injuries

CHICAGO- OCTOBER 25: Anderson Silva (L) wrestles with Patrick Cote within the Middleweight Title Bout at UFC’s Final Combat Night time at Allstate Area on October 25, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. (Picture by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Pictures)

Date: Oct. 25, 2008Location: ChicagoResult: Anderson Silva def. Patrick Cote through TKO (damage) – Spherical 3, 0:39Injury: All was going properly for Patrick Cote towards one of many future all-time greats till it wasn’t. One of many higher performances anybody has placed on towards Anderson Silva ended with Cote holding his knee, down on the canvas as a consequence of a torn ACL.

Aug 3, 2013; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Jose Aldo (purple gloves) fights Chan Sung Jung (blue gloves) throughout UFC 163 at HSBC Area. Necessary Credit score: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Aug. 3, 2013Location: Rio de JaneiroResult: Jose Aldo def. Chan Sung Jung through TKO (strikes) – Spherical 4, 2:00Injury: Shoulder dislocations occur in MMA, however none maybe in a much bigger second than Chan Sung Jung’s long-awaited first UFC title struggle. Halfway via Spherical 4, Jung’s shoulder got here out of its socket after a punch try. Whereas the TKO win for Jose Aldo was dominated to have come from follow-up strikes, the shoulder dislocation was the explanation for Jung’s preliminary retreat – he tried to lodge it again into place – and subsequent cover-up. The damage was critical sufficient that Jung wanted surgical procedure. He tore it once more in 2021.

Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva, UFC 168

Date: Dec. 28, 2013Location: Las VegasResult: Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva through TKO (damage) – Spherical 2, 1:16Injury: In probably the most grotesque and high-profile accidents in MMA historical past, Anderson Silva snapped his leg. A results of nice defensive approach from Chris Weidman, a leg kick from “The Spider” backfired in horrific style. Silva’s leg shattered; he broke his tibia and fibula.

Date: Aug. 23, 2015Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaResult: Max Holloway def. Charles Oliveira through TKO (damage) – Spherical 1, 1:39Injury: In one of many weirder sequences in UFC historical past, Charles Oliveira grabbed his neck and went down towards Max Holloway. As he rose to his toes towards the cage, Oliveira grabbed his throat, seemingly untouched. Preliminary stories acknowledged Oliveira suffered an esophageal tear. Nonetheless, he just lately revealed it was a reccurring neck damage that left his physique tingling.

Nov 11, 2017; Virginia, VA, USA; Anthony Pettis (blue gloves) leaves the struggle towards Dustin Poirier (purple gloves) throughout UFC Combat Night time on the Ted Fixed Convocation Middle. Necessary Credit score: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Nov. 11, 2017Location: Norfolk, Va.Consequence: Dustin Poirier def. Anthony Pettis through TKO (damage) – Spherical 3, 2:08Injury: There are tight physique triangles after which there’s the one Dustin Poirier had Anthony Pettis in throughout their five-round light-weight major occasion showdown. With Poirier on his again, Pettis tried to show into his opponent. Nonetheless, Poirier slid into mount and within the course of, broke certainly one of Pettis’ ribs.

Sep 21, 2019; Mexico Metropolis, MEX; Jeremy Stephens (blue gloves) reacts after being poked within the eye by Yair Rodriguez (purple gloves) throughout UFC Combat Night time at Mexico Metropolis Area. Necessary Credit score: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Sept. 21, 2019Location: Mexico CityResult: No contest – Spherical 1, 0:15Injury: In one of many extra memorable major occasion failures in UFC historical past (for all of the fallacious causes), Yair Rodriguez poked Jeremy Stephens within the eye 15 seconds into their major occasion conflict. Unable to see, Stephens couldn’t proceed. The bout was known as off. Mexican followers pelted the cage and Stephens with meals and drinks – which even prompted UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald to cover below his desk. The matchup was rebooked for one month later in Boston. Rodriguez defeated Stephens by unanimous resolution.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 19: Tyron Woodley (R) reacts after struggling a rib damage towards Colby Covington of their welterweight bout through the UFC Combat Night time occasion at UFC APEX on September 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Date: Sept. 19, 2020Location: Las VegasResult: Colby Covington def. Tyron Woodley through TKO (damage) – Spherical 5, 1:19Injury: A dominant four-round exhibiting from Colby Covington was topped off by a fifth-round Tyron Woodley damage. What seemed like a traditional takedown try prompted Woodley to scream out in ache – and referee Dan Miragliotta to intervene. An X-ray later confirmed Woodley broke a rib.

Date: March 13, 2021Location: Las VegasResult: No contest (unintentional foul) – Spherical 2, 0:18Injury: An unlucky eye damage halted the largest struggle of Belal Muhammad’s profession prematurely. Within the early levels of Spherical 2, Leon Edwards by accident poked Muhammad’s proper eye. The foul resulted in seen harm and the struggle to be known as. Muhammad has since known as for a rematch, however has but to obtain it.

Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor holds his leg after struggling an damage towards Dustin Poirier throughout UFC 264 at T-Cell Area. Necessary Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: July 10, 2021Location: Las VegasResult: Dustin Poirier def. Conor McGregor through TKO (damage) – Spherical 1, 5:00Injury: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier – the rubber match. Who would’ve guessed it will finish in essentially the most high-profile leg break since Anderson Silva towards Chris Weidman? However in MMA, count on the sudden. Late in Spherical 1, McGregor stepped again and his leg caved below him. In between rounds, McGregor was deemed unable to proceed – and for good purpose. He suffered a damaged tibia and fibula. Adamant on the stool the struggle be stopped as a consequence of physician stoppage/damage fairly than “retirement,” McGregor received his want.

Date: Might 14, 2022Location: Las VegasResult: Jan Blachowicz def. Aleksandar Rakic through TKO (damage) – Spherical 3, 1:11Injury: It wasn’t out of the realm of risk Aleksandar Rakic may’ve earned a title shot if he beat Jan Blachowicz. As a substitute, the damage bug bit. In an early Spherical 3 change, Rakic’s knee buckled. He crumpled to the canvas and the struggle was over. Later, exams confirmed he sustained a torn ACL.

Jul 16, 2022; Elmont, New York, USA; Brian Ortega (purple gloves) reacts to struggle towards Yair Rodriguez (blue gloves) throughout UFC Combat Night time at UBS Area. Necessary Credit score: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: July 16, 2022Location: Elmont, N.Y.Consequence: Yair Rodriguez def. Brian Ortega through TKO (damage) – Spherical 1, 4:11Injury: Everybody was seemingly hyped for Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega – a matinee major occasion on ABC. That’s why there was an audible murmer of disappointment on Lengthy Island when the struggle ended earlier than it actually even received began. Whereas his submission protection succeeded initially, Ortega injured himself as he pulled out of a Rodriguez armbar try. He was rendered unable to proceed.

Jul 23, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) falls to the bottom whereas preventing Curtis Blaydes throughout UFC Combat Night time at O2 Area. Necessary Credit score: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: July 23, 2022Location: LondonResult: Curtis Blaydes def. Tom Aspinall through TKO (damage) – Spherical 1, 0:15Injury: It may’ve been Tom Aspinall’s contendership coming-out occasion. As a substitute, it was a 15-second nightmare for the Brit. Aspinall threw a kick at Curtis Blaydes, stepped again, and his knee gave out. It was throughout identical to that.

Date: Oct. 29, 2022Location: Las VegasResult: Arnold Allen def. Calvin Kattar through TKO (damage) – Spherical 2, 0:08Injury: Arnold Allen vs. Calvin Kattar had struggle followers all kinds of jacked up. However when it got here time to struggle, it led to disagreeable, disappointing style. After Kattar injured his knee on a flying knee try late in Spherical 1, he was cleared to exit for Spherical 2. Nonetheless, after one lead leg kick from Allen, the knee of his different leg buckled as soon as once more – and that was that.

Date: Sept. 23, 2023Location: Las VegasResult: Mateusz Gamrot def. Rafael Fiziev through TKO (damage) – Spherical 2, 2:03Injury: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot was shaping as much as be a hardcore fan’s dream till a leg damage to the previous ended the struggle anticlimactically. Whereas viewers have been nonetheless handled to seven minutes of a back-and-forth battle, questions remained after Fiziev planted his proper foot awkwardly after a kick. He crumpled to the canvas in ache and the struggle was over.

Date: June 15, 2024Location: Las VegasResult: Tatsuro Taira def. Alex Perez through TKO (knee damage) – Spherical 2, 2:59Injury: Tatsuro Taira confirmed flashes of brilliance in his first octagon headliner towards Alex Perez, even when it didn’t finish in essentially the most satisfying approach. The end got here after a sequence during which Perez harm his knee whereas attempting to fend off an uncommon takedown try with Taira on his again attempting to take his opponent to the mat. Perez screamed in ache and tapped out after he collapsed, and the struggle was over.