UFCJacksonville Bout Ends in No-Contest due to Eye-Poke: Tafa and Lane

Justin Tafa stepped into the octagon for his highly anticipated main card fight against Austen Lane at UFC Jacksonville. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd eagerly awaited the clash between these two heavyweight contenders. Little did they know that the fight would take an unexpected turn within the first 30 seconds.

As the opening round commenced, Tafa wasted no time and immediately began stalking Lane, looking to establish his dominance. However, his momentum was halted when he absorbed a solid body kick from Lane, temporarily slowing down his aggressive pursuit.

Lane, sensing an opportunity to regain control, attempted a straight right. Unfortunately, his punch missed its mark, but his left hand reached out, unintentionally inflicting a gruesome eyepoke on Tafa. The impact was immediate, causing Tafa to react in excruciating pain, clutching his injured eye.

One of the most brutal eye poke in the UFC ends the fight between Austen Lane and Justin Tafa 😢#UFCJacksonville

pic.twitter.com/lnGzKnni1N

— Combat Sports Today 📰 (@CSTodayNews) June 24, 2023

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the referee intervened, granting Tafa the necessary time to recover. Blood trickled from his eye, and he struggled to regain his vision. With each passing moment, Tafa’s eye became more swollen, and his lower eyelid bore the brunt of the damage. Despite the rest and care, it became increasingly evident that continuing the fight would be impossible.

As the referee consulted with the ringside doctor, Tafa sat on the stool, his face showing the agony and frustration of an unfinished battle. The doctor remained skeptical about Tafa’s ability to continue, given the state of his injured eye. With just two minutes left in the recovery period, the decision became inevitable.

The verdict was delivered—a no-contest ruling—due to the severe eyepoke and the doctor’s advice. Disappointment filled the arena as the fans realized they were robbed of witnessing a full-fledged showdown between these two warriors. The fight had been cut short after a mere 29 seconds.

💯 https://t.co/CxyLwmFZlP

— Steve Morgan (@steve_morgs) June 24, 2023

However, the story doesn’t end there. The unresolved tension between Justin Tafa and Austen Lane demands a rematch. The rematch is an ideal set up for UFC 293, set to take place in Sydney on September 10. Both fighters will be determined to settle the unfinished business and deliver the spectacle that fans have been eagerly awaiting. The anticipation grows as the clock ticks closer to their much-anticipated rematch, will they will step back into the octagon to determine who emerges victorious in this thrilling heavyweight clash.

Justin Tafa was a heavy -175 favourite to win the fight with the top MMA betting sites.

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