Injuries are inevitable in a demanding sport like mixed martial arts, but facial fractures and nerve damage are less than ideal even by UFC standards, and Dustin Stoltzfus now faces a long road to recovery.
The German showed incredible fighting spirit, trading ferocious blows with Bruno Ferreira in a battle that was full of blood and guts at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky, USA on June 8. Alas, there is only so many spinning back elbows a man can withstand, and the 32-year-old found out in tragic fashion.
'Hulk' wins extra $50,000 for famous spinning elbow knockout
In a bout that embodied everything we love about mixed martial arts, Dustin Stoltzfus and Bruno Ferreira engaged in one of the biggest brawls in UFC history.
Both fire-loving fighters put everything on the line in a battle of attrition, and both fighters emerged from the cage looking very different than when they entered.
Stoltzfus was desperate to use his lead foot to knock his opponent down and apply overwhelming pressure that would intimidate his opponent, but his strategy was foiled when “The Hulk” landed a beautiful spinning back elbow, setting in motion the defeat of his rival.
Stoltzfus made a commendable attempt to stay in the match, taking the blows that were aimed at him and fighting back, a sign of his dogged determination to win. But the outcome was clear.
Ferreira followed up with a second spinning back elbow, sending his opponent to the canvas and forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout.
The extraordinary performance earned the winner a whopping $50,000 prize and left the loser with numerous injuries, highlighting the rise and fall of this mysterious sport.
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Dustin Stoltzfus reveals extent of gruesome injury after UFC Louisville fight
Once the dust had settled, the brave warrior took to Instagram to open up to his adoring fans about the extent of his horrific injuries.
He wrote: “Not much to say here. Deviated from the game plan at the end of the round.”
“I feel like a fraud. I am a better person and I need to give back to the great people who support me to do better. That being said, even my big head can only handle a spinning elbow to the face.
“It's going to take some time to heal. My face is fractured and I have significant nerve damage. I don't know when I'll be able to return to training, let alone play in a match.”
“Thankfully, I have the great people at UFC who have always taken good care of me. I went there to put on a show, so now it's time to put myself back together and see what happens next.”
“I appreciate all the love, but I think I'll be stepping away from social media for a while.”
Stoltzfus will be out for a while, but his opponent is hoping for a speedy return and the Brazilian is pleading with UFC to give him the fight that fans want to see.
In his post-fight interview he said, “Thank you. I'm going to watch this video over and over again. I practiced it a lot. I knew he was going to throw that punch, and I knew it was going to land because I practiced it a lot. Again, I think this counts as a bonus.”
“I'd like to propose a judo vs. wrestling match. Come on, Bo Nickal.”
UFC fighters react to brutal finish of Dustin Stoltzfus
The horrific knockout went viral, with some of the organization's biggest names reacting on social media.
Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling wrote, “Wow!! Amazing! Scary KO! Beautiful,” while Stephen Thompson commented, “Wow… didn't look that hard. Perfect placement.”
At a loss for words, Marlon Vera simply posted, “Amazing.”
“What a great debut today,” added world title contender Belal Muhammad, who will be hoping for a similar win at UFC 304 next month.
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