The world of mixed martial arts (MMA) is no stranger to brutal injuries, and among the most frightening are those involving skull fractures. This article delves into instances where UFC fighters have suffered such injuries, examining the immediate aftermath, recovery, and long-term impact on their careers.
Michael 'Venom' Page and Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos
Michael 'Venom' Page has built a career on highlight-reel moments, but few are as shocking as his 2016 flying knee knockout over Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos in Bellator.
Then 11-0 Page faced his biggest test yet in Cyborg, a seasoned MMA veteran with fights against Gegard Mousasi, Melvin Manhoef, and Nick Diaz. The Brazilian controlled the action in the opening frame, taking Page down and securing a round.
Page switched up his game in round two. The pair of welterweights danced around, before Page timed another takedown from Cyborg. The British karate fighter leapt into a jumping knee that nailed Cyborg right in the forehead. He immediately dropped to the ground in anguish, securing the knockout for Page.
Following the result, Cyborg's wife, Cris Cyborg, revealed her husband's injuries on social media. Page's knee completely caved in his forehead.
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"Fight fans Please say a prayer for my Ex husband Cyborg Santos," She wrote. "Many of you watched him fight on Spike TV this weekend when he suffered this injury while fighting in London."
"Cyborg is still in the hospital in the UK, and they are not sure when he will be able to fly again. He has not had surgery yet and their is worry the brain can continue to swell causing more damage. . . . The dr said this very Easily could have been life threatening."
Cyborg did recover, but he never fought professionally again.
Michael Page gets biggest UFC opportunity yet at UFC 319
Almost a decade later, Page returns to action on his biggest stage yet in Chicago at UFC 319. He fights middleweight tank Jared Cannonier, a perennial contender with serious veteran ability.
Page gets his biggest UFC opportunity yet as he takes on Jared Cannonier on the UFC 319 main card this weekend. He's yet to create any of this 'MVP' magic in the UFC, but a finish over No. 9-ranked middleweight Cannonier in a similar fashion would surely upset the middleweight title picture.
The full card is as follows:
- (c) Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev; middle title
- Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico; feather
- Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura; fly
- Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page; middle
- Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates; welter
- Karine Silva vs. JJ Aldrich; fly
- Alexanderr Hernandez vs. Chase Hooper; light
- Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Bryan Battle; middle
- Jessica Andrade vs. Lupita Godinez; straw
- Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk; middle
- King Green vs. Diego Ferreira; light
- Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose; light
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Bruno Silva's Brutal Knockout at UFC 315
UFC 315 in Montreal was shaping up to be a successful pay-per-view card with explosive finishes and entertaining wars kicking off the early prelims. While the prelims were filled with intrigue, the main event in particular had fans waiting to see if the result changes the landscape of the UFC as we know it. In the final early prelim, however, the card took a frightening turn.
Brazilian middleweight Bruno Silva was stretchered out of the Octagon following a brutal first-round knockout by Canadian fighter Marc-Andre Barriault. The moment had the entire crowd waiting with bated breath to see if Silva would recover from the devastating finish.
The fight lasted just under one minute and 30 seconds and ended with Silva unconscious on the canvas after absorbing a series of crushing elbows against the fence. Medical personnel rushed to attend to Silva, who remained motionless before regaining consciousness. He was then put on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
The finish was as violent as it was swift. Barriault, fighting in front of his home crowd, capitalized on a clinch exchange, landing two devastating elbows that sent Silva crashing face-first to the mat.
Replays showed one of the strikes left a visible dent in Silva’s skull, displaying the sheer force of the impact. Referee intervention came too late to prevent follow-up punches, but the damage was already done.
Once a rising star in the UFC, known for a barnburner with a pre-championship Alex Pereira, the 35-year-old has now lost his last five fights in a row. Bruno Silva has eased fan concern about his health in the aftermath of UFC 315.
As UFC 315 viewers waited for an update on his well-being, slow-motion footage of the blow that put him to sleep went viral as many people who saw it believed it showed his skull literally caving in from the monstrous strike.
Bruno Silva provides health update after UFC 315 loss
A few hours after being brutally knocked out, Silva issued a statement on his Instagram story. The 35-year-old Brazilian assured concerned fans that he is physically ‘fine’ amid widespread concerns about him suffering a broken or fractured skull at the hands of Barriault.
“Good night, just passing to let you know that I’m fine,” Silva wrote in Portuguese. “I went to the hospital and had tests, everything is fine with my health. “I received a lot of messages from people who really like me, it was fine, I wanted to win to give my testimony, from everything I went through and managed to stand up, but it’s worth living. “I am a victor this is not the moment that will end my story and my legacy.”
What’s next for Bruno Silva?
It’s clear from his social media statement that Silva has no plans to retire after UFC 315. However, it seems highly likely that he will be cut from the UFC roster in the coming days. There have been a few fighters who have been allowed to continue in the Octagon after five consecutive defeats, but they were much bigger stars than Silva.
So, if he wants to continue his career, Silva will have to find another promotion to fight for.
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