Nikolas Motta suffers gruesome head cut exposing facial tendon and is forced to withdraw from UFC 287
UFC star Nikolas Motta was forced to withdraw from his upcoming fight after suffering a HORRENDOUS cut to his face.
The Brazilian lightweight, 30, was due to take on Ignacio Bahamondes on the undercard of Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2 on April 8.
But he has now reluctantly pulled out of the bout following an accidental headbutt which left him with a deep gash above his eye.
In fact, the cut was so bad that part of his facial tendon was exposed as he took to social media to warn people about the graphic nature of the injury.
Speaking on Instagram alongside a picture of the stitched up cut and another of the original wound, he said: “Don’t swipe left if you have a weak stomach.
“I had this accident couple days by a headbutt in wrestling practice and my coaches and people that I trust made the decision to ask to to pull back my fight three weeks to have enough time to heal this or it would easily open in the fight and they would stop the fight by doctor stoppage.
“I had a lot stitches all my career but never had one deep like that, this white part on my cut in the second picture is my tendon, it got very swollen and inflamed.
“So even if felt unbelievable that something like that happened right before my fight, after thinking a lot I could see that was the right choice from my coach that I trust.
“I been focused and always in shape since after my fight in September last year and didn’t go home for the first time to see my family in the end of the year to stay ready to fight in December or beginning of the year and i been focused since then.
“So i just need couple weeks to heal that 100 per cent trust the process and finally be back.”
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It is not yet known whether Bahamondes will be handed a late replacement to fight on the UFC 287 card or if he will be removed from the show altogether.
Motta has a professional record of 13 wins and four losses, but has suffered just one defeat since 2018.
He has a 1-1 record in the UFC having bounced back from a debut loss to Jim Miller by beating Cameron VanCamp in September.
Meanwhile, the co-main event to go alongside Pereira vs Adesanya 2 in Miami will be a highly-anticipated clash between Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal.