Ismael Bonfim has issued a social media statement to address his controversial defeat at UFC Vegas 102.
After his brother, Gabriel Bonfim, put Khaos Williams out cold to impress UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad ‘Marreta’ entered the Octagon to face Nazim Sadykhov at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Towards the end of round one, Sadykhov landed a perfect question mark kick that left his opponent with a cut under his left eye. Bonfim was blinking and squinting when he returned to his corner after five minutes of fighting.
The cut was way below his eye, so it didn’t seem like something that would lead to a doctor’s stoppage – but that’s exactly what happened in between rounds before UFC fans expressed their frustrations online.
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Ismael Bonfim speaks out on UFC Vegas 102 loss
Viral footage appeared to show the Brazilian saying he could see fine before the fight was called off.
Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier voiced his confusion during the UFC Vegas 102 broadcast before a section of fans claimed that a ‘massive misunderstanding’ led to Bonfim being pulled out of the fight prematurely.
Post-fight, Sadykhov revealed that the damage to Bonfim’s orbital bone was the reason the fight was stopped.
On Sunday, the man himself addressed his health and the doctor’s stoppage in an Instagram video.
“Thank God I’m fine,” Bonfim said in Portuguese.
“I did some exams on the eye and head and it’s all right. It’s just a cut here and the eyelid.
“I couldn’t see properly and the doctor decided to stop the fight.
“The strategy was working, I was confident and feeling well, imposing my game [and] my rhythm. But let’s not take anything away from my opponent, it was a beautiful kick that caught me right on my face.”
He captioned the clip: “Thank you for your affection and support! I’ll be back!”
Nazim Sadykhov dismisses controversy question
Sadykhov didn’t want to hear about the controversy surrounding his win over Bonfim at UFC Vegas 102.
As people began speculating about a language barrier potentially leading to the doctor’s stoppage, Sadykhov was telling assembled media members that it was his kick that led to the fight being called off.
“I don’t want to hear that there was a language barrier,” he said during his post-fight press conference.
“I don’t want to hear that. I caused damage. I kicked him hard. Those head kicks we were setting those up all camp. I don’t know if they caught it backstage in the cameras, but we were setting that head kick up in the back.
“We were working that head kick in the back. That head kick was coming all night, more from me in the boxing department, in the wrestling department. It was coming all night.
“I don’t know what the language barrier or what it was, but I looked at that man before the start of round two and he did not look like he wanted to be there.”