A brutal injury led to the halt of a light heavyweight fight in Germany.
During the main card bout at Oktagon 44 in Oberhausen, Germany, Mateusz Strzelczyk and Rafael Xavier unleashed powerful leg kicks simultaneously in the third round. The impact reverberated like the collision of two solid baseball bats, resulting in significant damage to Strzelczyk’s right leg.
Brutal Leg Break Forces Referee to Stop Light Heavyweight Bout at Oktagon 44
The severity of the injury necessitated the fight to be stopped as it became evident that Strzelczyk could no longer continue.
Following the exchange, Strzelczyk (14-14-1) took a step back, only for his right shin to give way, crumbling beneath him. Xavier (12-7) was quick to realize the severity of the situation. He placed both hands on his head, overwhelmed with shock and disbelief, and turned away while the referee swiftly intervened to halt the fight.
For those who can handle the graphic nature, a video capturing the leg break can be watched below:
Rafael Xavier 🇩🇪🇧🇷 defeats Mateusz Strzelczyk due to a nasty injury.
‘Kratos’ wants to get back into the light heavyweight title picture.
We wish Strzelczyk all the best in his recovery.
📺 https://t.co/TVP7NaDRbZ & DAZN pic.twitter.com/gQ3KwwN7ua
— OKTAGON MMA (@OktagonOfficial) June 17, 2023
As a result of the injury, Xavier, aged 32, secured a TKO victory at 2:47 of Round 3. This win marked a return to the win column for him, following a split decision loss to Pavol Langer at Oktagon 39 back in February. However, the victory didn’t come in the way he had anticipated.
On the other hand, Strzelczyk, also 32 years old, experienced a heartbreaking end to his three-fight stoppage winning streak. The devastating nature of the injury put an abrupt halt to his previous success.
The injury Strzelczyk suffered is truly devastating, and the path to recovery ahead of him is a long and challenging one. Whether he chooses to make a comeback in MMA or not, the journey will be arduous. While it’s not impossible to return from such an injury, the lasting mental and physical effects will always be present.
We’ve seen instances in the past where fighters have managed to come back after similar leg injuries. Anderson Silva, for example, made a return after snapping his shin against Chris Weidman. However, it’s important to note that Silva was never quite the same fighter following the injury. As for Chris Weidman, he is set to make his return in August after his own shin-snapping incident against Uriah Hall. Time will be the ultimate judge for both Weidman and Strzelczyk in terms of their fighting careers and how they bounce back from these challenging setbacks.
