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Hey, my guys and ghouls! In this edition of the Injury Report, we get into the controversy around a cut suffered at UFC 297 this past Saturday. Plus, we have a few updates on Ryan Curtis and two others who need help.
UFCuts
Sean Strickland (eye)
Aside from the judging, there was another controversy regarding Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis. Immediately after losing the fight, Strickland shared a photo of his stitched eyelid after he suffered a cut in the championship rounds. According to the ex-UFC champion, that cut was caused due to a headbutt from Du Plessis, which he says was a factor in his loss.
“I didn’t take the coward’s way out and tell the doctor I couldn’t see and got a No Contest,” posted Strickland. “The only reason why you took a round from me is because I couldn’t see. I won that fight, the world knows I won that fight. The belt they gave you will never make you a champion, enjoy.
“They had to stitch through muscle to get it closed,” continued Strickland. “Thank you to everyone, your support has really kept my head up high through all this, grateful forever.”
After highlighting the cut, though, some tried to pinpoint exactly how it happened. As aforementioned, some, including Strickland, said it was a headbutt. Others said it was a series of punches from Du Plessis, who then worsened the cut when they were clinched up against the fence.
Without the cut and the optics around it — the blood pouring and face wiping — Strickland thought he should have retained.
Movsar Evloev and Arnold Allen (faces)
Movsar Evolev earned his eighth consecutive UFC win with a decision against Arnold Allen, but it came at a cost. Though he used his wrestling to neutralize Allen throughout the fight, Evloev found himself in a scary situation when ‘Almighty’ defended one of his takedowns. With Evloev wrapped up, Allen responded with knees to the head that cut him. Though referee Marc Goddard ruled those knees were illegal since Evloev had his hand on the canvas, the damage was done.
As for Allen, he was cut under his eye after getting hit with a series of punches from Evloev.
Serhiy Sidey (nose)
In the fight I thought should have received UFC ‘Fight of the Night’ honors, Serhiy Sidey had his nose shredded against Ramon Taveras. Like Strickland, some thought the Contender Series signee may have also lost due to optics, especially since a lot of blood poured from his nose.
While I have you here, watch this recent upload from UFC commentator Laura Sanko, who gave us some great insight as to how important visible damage is to judges. Given the conversations around Strickland vs. Du Plessis and Sidey vs. Taveras, this was an excellent explanation for why those fights received the scores that they did.
Bare Knuckle Bruisin’
The BYB Extreme Fighting Series Blood Bank is full after BYB 23: Brawl in the Pines II this past Thursday. While I usually explain how these injuries happened, I figured you could see for yourselves because BYB has given us a gift by posting the entire event on YouTube. Thank you, BYB!
Now, I give you the aftermath of some of these fights.
Daniel Lerwell (eye)
Ulysses Diaz (face)
Dewitt Dixon (face)
Yordan Fuentes (lip)
Matt Phillips (eye)
Best of the Rest
These cuts deserve a shoutout, so here I am, shouting them out on the Injury Report.
Emerson Guerrero (face)
Fabricio Zavala (face)
Helping Hands
Ryan Curtis
We have another update on Ryan Curtis’ condition, courtesy of friend and teammate Leah McCourt. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, McCourt revealed Curtis has undergone two surgeries to address the injuries sustained to his back, neck and spine. Though still a ways to go in his recovery, McCourt remains positive that Curtis can come through from his toughest fight.
“Ryan is a fighter through and through,” said McCourt. “He’s got so much heart. I think the first couple of days were definitely difficult as it would be for anyone. It is the most traumatic thing you could go through. He’s worried about his daughter. He’s worried about his partner, Emma. We’re looking after them, but he has got positivity and we believe in the power of prayer. We believe in miracles. We believe if anybody can do the impossible, it’s Ryan and that’s what we’re going to keep believing and keep praying for.”
If you want to donate to Curtis’ GoFundMe campaign, go here.
Josiah Harrell
A few months ago, Josiah Harrell was scheduled for his first UFC fight after he was tapped as the short-notice replacement for Sean Brady against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 290 this past July. Then, he received some live-saving news. Due to some pre-fight tests, Harrell found out he had Moyamoya, a brain disease that ‘causes a blockage to the main blood vessels serving the brain’.
On Tuesday, Harrell underwent surgery, but he does need help with his recovery. He has set up a GoFundMe campaign, which you can find here.
Lei Zhenhuan
A friend of BE, Erik Magraken, shared the story of Lei Zhenhuan, who suffered an ‘irreversible’ brain injury at a kickboxing event. To help the Zhenhuan family, you can donate to his GoFundMe campaign here.
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