Several reports from sports media including Sydney Morning Herald, confirmed that more than one-third of participants
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night held at the Brisbane
Entertainment Centre ended the night in hospital.
Main card Australian fighters Mark
Hunt, 39, and Dylan Andrews, 34, topped the long injury list coming out of
Saturday's event.
Eight of the 22 competing fighters
were taken to hospital, including two rushed by ambulance to St Andrew's
Hospital
The reports also stated that Hunt, who battled Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the night's heavyweight drawcard, required surgery after suffering a broken hand and face during the bout.
He uploaded post-surgery images of
his hand to his Facebook page on Monday with the caption: "The joys of
being a modern day gladiator."
Fairfax Media has attempted to reach
Hunt for comment
Before more than 11,000 fans, New
Zealand-born, Sydney-based Hunt fought five action-packed rounds with
Silva in a punishing fight ruled a majority draw.
Silva was taken to hospital
immediately after the fight as a precaution.
It was no surprise both Hunt and
Silva required medical attention. The pair recorded a combined 184 strikes
during their bout - the highest amount in UFC heavyweight history.
Gold Coast-based competitor Dylan
"The Villain" Andrews suffered a dislocated shoulder during his fight
against American Clint Hester and could not continue after the second, five
minute round.
It has been reported on-site UFC
doctors tried to put Andrews' shoulder back in place, but failed.
He was eventually taken to hospital
where he was reportedly twice put under anaesthetic until a specialist was
called in and was able to reset the joint.
But Hunt and Andrews were far from
the only competitors requiring medical attention after the fight night.
American wrestler Ryan Bader, 30,
was taken to hospital for a hand injury, while his 41-year-old opponent Anthony
Perosh, from Sydney, was taken for a CT scan after copping a one-sided,
three-round drubbing.
And American Pat Barry, 34, was
taken to hospital be examined after being knocked out by 36-year-old Soa
Palelei from Perth.
The fight night in Brisbane
reignited debate about the merits of Mixed Martial Arts, with one newspaper columnist
calling for the "barbaric savagery" to be banned in Australia.
The caged ring, known as the
Octagon, is banned in Western Australia and Victoria.
However the sport's popularity
appears to be growing, with the takings at the gate on Saturday topping $1.8
million, the reports concluded.
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