We all know that UFC is an incredibly dangerous sport, but sometimes it doesn’t quite hit home just how dangerous it is, until you see some of the horrific injuries endured by fighters.
A good example of proving just how things can go dangerously wrong is that of UFC fighter Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who was left with horrific swelling to her forehead following her battle with strawweight champion Zhang Weili on Saturday, March 7.
The fighters came to blows at UFC 248, in a savage fight which is already being called as a potential contender for the best UFC fight of the year.
Check it out here:
"This is insane!" 🤯@dc_mma nails it when describing the battle between Zhang Weili and @joannamma at #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/kBYYFsmDNT
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 8, 2020
Weili, 30, was only just hailed as champion of the brutal match which saw her take the win in a split-decision from judges, with one scoring 48-47 to Jedrzejczyk and the other two scoring it 48-47 for Weili.
Both Weili and Jedrzejczyk, 32, were taken to hospital as a result of their horrific injuries, and pictures detailing Jedrzejczyk’s wounds show just how much the fighter was vying to take home the belt.
The Polish fighter looked unrecognisable due to the haematoma on her forehead causing massive swellings.
Joanna end of round 1 vs Joanna end of round 5 #UFC248 #joannajedrzejczyk #zhangweili pic.twitter.com/SiLTIUzYeT
— The Koncrete Jungle (@TheKJungle) March 8, 2020
On social media, sports fans shared before and after pictures of the fighter side by side, showing the extreme swelling Jedrzejczyk suffered after the brutal match.
After the fight, the 32-year-old said:
You see my swellness, I felt this. She did great. There was something missing, but I felt all the punches you know.
From the third round the swellness was bothering me and I felt it was just getting more and more swollen and my head was like going on and off. But all good, congrats Zhang and I’m very happy we gave you a good fight.
However, UFC boss Dana White has said that both fighters must concentrate on getting over their injuries before they can even contemplate going in for a rematch.
👏 TAKE A BOW, LADIES 👏
Zhang Weili and Joanna Jędrzejczyk just gave us one of the greatest fights of all time.
Zhang Weili wins by split decision and takes her incredible run to 2️⃣1️⃣ wins in a row!#UFC248 pic.twitter.com/tIttCIu89c
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) March 8, 2020
He told press:
Did you see what those two girls looked like after that fight? They’re both in the hospital right now.
They did not go to a press conference, they did not talk to press, they both went straight to the hospital.
They need to go home, take time to heal up and everything else before I even mention a fight with either one of them again.
Here’s to wishing both fighters a speedy recovery.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.