UFC featherweight Melquizael Costa sustained a severe foot injury only minutes into his victory at UFC Vegas 106.
Melquizael Costa extended his winning streak with a tough win against Julian Erosa on Saturday at UFC Vegas 106. However, despite securing another notable victory, Costa incurred a serious foot injury early in the fight that affected his performance.
The UFC Vegas 106 broadcast showed Costa with a bloody left foot between the first and second rounds of his bout with Erosa. Despite this, Costa appeared to dismiss the injury and later, in his post-fight interview, expressed confusion about how his foot got cut during the fight.
Costa won the three-round featherweight battle at the Apex via unanimous decision over Erosa.
Dana White Reveals Gruesome Cut on Melquizael Costa`s Foot Post-UFC Vegas 106
Costa appeared to leave the Octagon without immediate issues alongside his team, celebrating his performance against Erosa. This victory pushed his winning streak to five and positions him as a potential contender for a spot in the featherweight Top 15.
Although he seemingly brushed off a possible foot problem during UFC Vegas 106, the full extent of Costa`s left foot injury was revealed shortly after the event concluded. UFC CEO Dana White posted a graphic image on his Instagram story, showing a severe cut on one of Costa`s toes that resulted in a very bloody foot.
Severe injuries sustained during fights are not uncommon in modern Mixed Martial Arts. For instance, UFC flyweight Asu Almabayev suffered a brutal eye injury after an accidental poke from Manel Kape, which he later shared online.
Fortunately, Costa was taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention on his injured foot soon after his win at UFC Vegas 106. Before this victory against Erosa, the promising featherweight had secured wins over Christian Rodriguez, Andre Fili, and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.
At present, the recovery time needed for Costa`s foot injury is unclear. However, it is hoped that Costa will not face a lengthy time away from the sport as he continues to make an impact in the UFC featherweight division.
UFC Vegas 106 Fighter Withdraws Abruptly, Citing `Herpes`
Costa`s mid-fight injury was just one notable incident on an action-packed night at UFC Vegas 106. The co-main event was dramatically canceled just minutes before it was scheduled to start, when light heavyweight Rodolfo Bellato was withdrawn from his fight against Paul Craig for a very unusual reason.
When news of Bellato`s last-minute withdrawal was announced during the UFC Vegas 106 broadcast, fans and analysts were initially given little information about why the light heavyweight`s fight was suddenly off. The official reason given on the broadcast was an unspecified `medical issue` on Bellato`s part, leading to the fight`s indefinite postponement.
However, in an Instagram story after the event, Bellato himself stated that `herpes` was the reason for his abrupt fight cancellation at UFC Vegas 106. It remains unclear whether the UFC medical staff removed Bellato from the card or if he withdrew himself.
The fight between Bellato and Craig is expected to be rescheduled for a future event, although Paul Craig has not yet publicly commented on Bellato`s withdrawal from UFC Vegas 106. Regardless, Bellato`s last-minute cancellation ranks among the most unusual reasons for a UFC bout being called off.
Gareth Pendleton