Fans in attendance at UWC 43 on Friday night were treated to a grisly scene as one fighter’s cauliflower ear exploded in the evening’s main event.
Emanating from Tijuana, Mexico, Ultimate Warrior Challenge presented its 43rd event. Broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass, the event was headlined by a featherweight championship bout as reigning titleholder Dorian Ramos defended his crown against 3-1 fighter José Peñaloza. Suffering some early damage, Peñaloza was sporting a gnarly-looking cauliflower ear that prompted the presiding referee to stop the action and take a look.
Update: It exploded pic.twitter.com/KNRfjjtQB3
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 29, 2023
After a brief deliberation, the fight was allowed to continue. It didn’t take long for things to escalate from there as Ramos took Peñaloza to the mat and laid into him with some ground and pound that eventually caused Peñaloza’s cauliflower ear to explode. Streaming blood from the injury, the referee saw no choice, but to step in and call for the stoppage just under the three-minute mark of round two.
TKO due to ear explosion. #UWC43 pic.twitter.com/yiMFaZBOsJ
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) April 29, 2023
Ramos, who has competed under multiple regional promotions, including Combate Global, LFA, and Uriah Faber’s A1 Combat, climbed to 6-1 with the victory on Friday night, making it three-in-a-row for the American. Peñaloza fell to 3-2, dropping two of his last three.
