In a shocking turn of events, UFC fans are deeply concerned after Chinese fighter Rongzhu sustained a severe injury during his recent bout.
The 24-year-old athlete was competing in only his second fight since his return to the UFC this year when he suffered a painful setback at UFC Vegas 97 on Saturday night.
Injury Details
Rongzhu faced a tough opponent in Chris Padilla, and during their fight, he suffered multiple fractures to his eye socket.
The injury occurred following a powerful elbow strike from Padilla in the second round.
The blow was so intense that Rongzhu immediately pointed at Padilla, accusing him of using his fingers to poke his eye.
Immediate Response
Despite his attempts to continue fighting, Rongzhu’s condition worsened as his eye began to swell significantly.
The referee, Kerry Hatley, had no choice but to halt the fight.
Rongzhu was quickly taken to the hospital for a precautionary scan, as reported by MMAMania.com.
Manager’s Update
Rongzhu’s manager, Little Yama, later confirmed that the fighter had sustained “multiple fractures” and revealed that Rongzhu is currently unable to open his eye.
This news has only intensified fans’ concerns about his condition.
Fans’ Reactions
The severity of the injury led to widespread alarm among fans.
Many expressed their fears about Rongzhu’s potential loss of sight.
One spectator on X wrote, “That Rongzhu TKO was nasty; I actually thought he might go blind in that eye.
Anyone know if he’s fine? Didn’t see any news, so I guess it was just an orbital injury.”
Another comment read, “WOW!!! Is that the nastiest elbow you’ve ever seen? Chris Padilla completely destroys Rongzhu’s left eye.”
Padilla’s Response
In contrast to the fans’ concerns, Chris Padilla seemed unfazed after the fight.
He defended his actions and addressed the controversy surrounding the elbow strike.
“Who’s splitting someone with an elbow, swelling their eye up?” Padilla said.
“That’s why I was saying, ‘No mas’ because he was claiming it was an eye poke.”
Padilla further explained, “I eye-poked you with an elbow.
I don’t have fingers on my elbows. You know that s*** smushed your eye.
That’s why I was like, ‘Ah! I must kill you now.’”
UFC Bonuses
Despite his impressive performance, Padilla did not receive one of the four $50,000 bonuses given out by UFC president Dana White.
The bonuses went to Steve Garcia and Cody Durden for their victories over Kyle Nelson and Matt Schnell, respectively.
Former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade and rising star Natalia Silva also received additional cash prizes.
Looking Ahead
With Rongzhu’s injury sparking significant concern, fans and fighters alike are eagerly awaiting updates on his recovery.
The fight’s dramatic outcome and ongoing repercussions will likely be a hot topic in the MMA community in the days to come.