Alexander Volkanovski suffered a heartbreaking loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284, but the fight was marred by a horrific cut above his eye.
The featherweight champion was looking to defend his title for the second time against Makhachev, but the fight ended in the second round after a nasty cut opened up above Volkanovski’s right eye.
The cut was caused by an accidental headbutt from Makhachev, and it was so severe that the ringside doctor had no choice but to stop the fight.
Volkanovski was visibly upset after the fight, and he was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
The Australian fighter had been dominating the fight up until the cut, and he was clearly disappointed with the outcome.
“I’m so disappointed,” Volkanovski said after the fight. “I was in control of the fight and I felt like I was winning. I was doing well and I was in control. I was doing what I wanted to do.”
Volkanovski’s loss was a huge blow to his title reign, and it was a heartbreaking end to what had been a dominant performance.
The cut was so severe that it required stitches, and it’s unclear how long Volkanovski will be out of action.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for Volkanovski, who had been on a roll since winning the featherweight title in December 2019.
He had successfully defended his title against Max Holloway in July, and he was looking to make it two in a row against Makhachev.
Unfortunately, the fight ended in a way that no one wanted, and Volkanovski will now have to wait to see if he can get a rematch with Makhachev.
In the meantime, Volkanovski will have to focus on healing his eye and getting back to full health.
It’s a heartbreaking end to what had been a dominant performance from Volkanovski, and it’s a reminder of how quickly things can change in the UFC.
