UFC featherweight Melquizael Costa sustained a significant foot injury early in his bout at UFC Vegas 106, despite ultimately securing the victory.
Melquizael Costa continued his string of successes with a hard-fought win over Julian Erosa at UFC Vegas 106 on Saturday. However, even while achieving another notable victory, Costa suffered a severe foot injury that hindered him just moments into the contest.
The UFC Vegas 106 broadcast highlighted Costa`s left foot which was visibly bloody between the first and second rounds of his fight against Erosa. Despite this, Costa seemed to shrug off the injury and later, during his post-fight interview, appeared puzzled as to how his foot got cut during the clash.
At the Apex facility, Costa defeated Erosa via unanimous decision following a three-round slugfest between the two featherweights.
Dana White Reveals Graphic Images of Melquizael Costa`s Foot Injury Post-UFC Vegas 106
Although he downplayed a potential foot issue at UFC Vegas 106, the true state of Costa`s left foot became evident shortly after the event concluded. UFC CEO Dana White shared a photo on his Instagram story showing a severe cut on one of Costa`s toes, which resulted in extensive bleeding across his foot.
Gruesome injuries occurring mid-fight are not uncommon in modern Mixed Martial Arts. For instance, UFC flyweight Asu Almabayev recently disclosed a brutal eye injury sustained from an accidental poke by Manel Kape.
Fortunately, Costa was transported to a local hospital promptly after his UFC Vegas 106 victory to receive treatment for his wounded foot. The promising featherweight contender had secured wins over Christian Rodriguez, Andre Fili, and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke leading up to his victory over Erosa.
As of now, the recovery time needed for Costa`s apparent foot injury is uncertain. However, fans are hopeful that he will not face a lengthy time away from the Octagon and can quickly resume his ascent in the UFC featherweight division.
Another Unusual Incident: Fighter Withdraws from UFC Vegas 106 Citing `Herpes`
Adding to the night`s events at UFC Vegas 106, Costa`s mid-fight injury wasn`t the only notable incident. The card`s co-main event was canceled with only minutes` notice when light heavyweight Rodolfo Bellato was removed from his scheduled fight against Paul Craig for a peculiar reason.
When the news of Bellato`s extremely late withdrawal was announced on the UFC Vegas 106 broadcast, the reason behind the light heavyweight`s sudden absence from the Octagon remained unknown to fans and analysts. The broadcast simply stated an unspecified `medical issue` on Bellato`s part as the cause for the fight being indefinitely postponed.
In a post made on his Instagram story after the event, Bellato claimed `herpes` was the reason for his fight cancellation at UFC Vegas 106. It is still unclear whether UFC medical staff mandated his removal or if Bellato himself chose to withdraw from the event.
The bout between Bellato and Craig is expected to be rescheduled for a future event. Paul Craig has not yet made any public comments regarding Bellato`s withdrawal at UFC Vegas 106. Regardless of the specifics, Bellato`s last-minute fight cancellation stands out among the more bizarre bout withdrawals in UFC history.
Rupert Hartwell