UFC 283 star suffered ‘worst cut in UFC history’ which swallowed huge cotton bud
Gregory Rodrigues will be hoping his face remains recognisable following his bout at UFC 283 this month.
The Brazilian MMA star, 30, was scheduled to face Brad Tavares in front his home home crowd in Rio, only for the American to have to withdraw due to injury. Tavares has now been replaced by promotional newcomer Brunno Ferreira, with Rodrigues expected to boost his 13-4 fight record.
The clash comes four months after Rodrigues overcame Chidi Njokuani at UFC 210, with 'Robocop' taking a second round stoppage. the wild few minutes of action also earned the bout the 'Fight of the Night' award in Las Vegas.
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But in the immediate aftermath, the result was overshadowed by the debate as to whether Rodrigues should have been stopped before his ground-and-pound attack in round two. Njokuani inflicted a gruesome injury between the eyes on his opponent, which needed treatment both during and after the fight.
The cut swallowed up an entire cotton bud and one Reddit user called it the "worst cut in the UFC." Another questioned whether the bout should have been cut short, adding: "I legit got queasy looking at that. I don’t know how he kept fighting, let alone winning."
In his post-fight press conference, Rodrigues didn't try to play down the impact of the early blow, admitting: “I was dizzy, but it was very hard. I was a little like, ‘Man, what happened?’ And then the blood started coming down. I was kind of blind, trying to figure out what I’m going to do.”
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The star praised his corner for keeping him calm about the wound, and Rodrigues then duly repaid them with his explosive finish. So far in his UFC career, Rodrigues has four wins, three finishes, and three fight night bonuses.
“The cut was bad, bro, but the wins coming, and they’re worth it,” Rodrigues added. “I’m so happy, man. I was expecting a fight like that. We are inside the UFC. That’s the World Cup. The best fighters are here, and I’m one of them.”
The star certainly had the fighting credentials when he signed with Dana White in mid-2021. He is an eight-time National BJJ Champion and was the Smash Global MMA Middleweight Champion, as well as a former Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) Middleweight Champion.
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