UFC strawweight Istela Nunes made her fourth appearance for the company on Saturday night in a fight against Victoria Dudakova at UFC Vegas 77, but she didn’t finish with a raised arm.
About 30 seconds into the fight, Dudakova went to take Nunes down. The Brazilian fighter fell backwards to the canvas and landed on her elbow. Nunes squealed in pain and grabbed her left elbow as the referee inside the Octagon checked on her.
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Istela Nunes reacts after an elbow injury in her women’s strawweight fight against Viktoriia Dudakova during UFC Fight Night at UFC APEX on July 15, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Those watching from outside the cage could be seen putting their hands on their heads in disbelief at the gruesome wound.
Later, UFC president Dana White showed an X-ray of Nunes’s arm. The photo appeared to show a clean break in the elbow.
«I have many messages. Thank you all so much for your support and love,» Nunes wrote on social media afterwards. «I’ll reply to everyone when I get home. Thank you to all my fans.
“I felt very good and very strong. I prepared a lot for this fight. I knew that today was my night, this was my fight. But I will come back stronger and show you all again. Thank you UFC and thank you Dana White. «
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Istela Nunes poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on July 14, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Dudakova received the win via injury TKO. It marked the fourth straight loss for Nunes, who came over from One Championship to fight in the UFC.
The Russian native said afterward that she heard Nunes scream but didn’t know what was really going on.
«I kept attacking because, before the fight, the referee comes up to us and explains the rules, specifically, he told me that until he stops the fight and until he takes you off, you don’t stop, so I really didn’t know what to do,» he added. , via MMA Mania.
«I saw that she was in agony [and I was thinking]hit or not, then the referee finally came in and stopped the fight.
In this photo provided by the UFC, Victoria Dudakova, right, fights Istela Nunes in their women’s strawweight bout during UFC Fight Night at UFC APEX on July 15, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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«Obviously, I want nothing more than the fastest recovery from my opponent. I’m sorry it happened, but it’s not necessarily my fault.»