Andre Fili forced off of UFC Vegas 70 card following emergency eye surgery

Perennial action fighter Andre Fili was scheduled to face Lucas Almeida at UFC Vegas 70 on February 25th, however, the 32-year-old was forced to withdraw from the bout after undergoing emergency surgery.

‘Touchy’ Fili took to social media to reveal that he had recently started experiencing vision loss in his right eye, and a quick decision was made to go under the knife to correct the problem. He posted a story on his socials of himself sitting on a couch where he had his puppy dog (obvious good boy) in his lap, a neck pillow engaged, and a giant eye patch taped to his face.

“Started losing vision in my right eye,” Fili wrote. “Had emergency surgery and got it fixed. I’m very grateful. Love you all. Thanks for checking in on me. I’m sorry I can’t put on a show for you guys Feb 25th, but I will be fighting later this year and I will be World Champion. They can never break us. O & U.”

It’s an unfortunately turn of events for the longtime Team Alpha Male product. He just got through snapping a three-fight winless slump with a split decision over Bill Algeo this past November, and was likely hoping to bring that momentum with him against Almeida later this month. Fili has not revealed exactly what caused his eye injury, or how long his rehab journey will take, so there’s no telling when he’ll get back in the Octagon.

Hopefully recovery goes as smoothly as possible. Eye injuries are no joke. On top of being a potential career ender, they can also permanently alter a person’s quality of life. Yes, Michael Bisping won the belt with one eye, but he’s the exception, and not the rule. Fili’s got a reputation for being tougher than a $2 steak, so hopefully he bounces back from this with ease.

Marcel Dorff snagged a screenshot of Fili’s social media story:

About the author: Eddie Mercado has covered combat sports since 2015. He covers everything from betting odds to live events and fighter interviews. He holds a 1-0 record in pro MMA and holds a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu. (full bio)