A Nightmarish Night for Henry Cejudo at UFC Seattle
Henry Cejudo, the former two-division champion, faced one of the most harrowing nights of his职业生涯 at UFC Seattle. What was supposed to be a comeback opportunity turned into a grim experience as he suffered a severe eye injury during his bout against Song Yadong. The relentless eye pokes left Cejudo’s vision impaired, forcing the fight to be stopped. As a result, Cejudo lost via technical decision, as at least three rounds had been completed, meaning the outcome was decided by the judges’ scorecards. This loss marks his third consecutive defeat, a significant downturn for the once dominant fighter. Compounding his misfortunes, Cejudo now faces an indefinite medical suspension, which will only be lifted once he receives clearance from an ophthalmologist. His minimum suspension is set to last until March 24, with no contact allowed until March 15. Cejudo later revealed the extent of his injuries, including diplopia (double vision), soft tissue damage, and a corneal abrasion, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Song Yadong’s Uncertain Future
While Cejudo is dealing with his injury, his opponent Song Yadong also faces a potentially long suspension, listed until August 21. The Washington State Department of Licensing, which oversees the UFC events, did not specify the reason for this lengthy suspension. Typically, a doctor’s clearance can override a medical suspension, but Song has not booked another fight since his victory over Cejudo, leaving it unclear whether he will attempt to return to the octagon before the August deadline. The lack of transparency from the commission adds an element of uncertainty to Song’s status, leaving fans and the fighter himself in the dark about the exact nature of the suspension and the steps required for his return.
Medical Suspensions for Other Fighters at UFC Seattle
The UFC Seattle card saw a series of medical suspensions for several other fighters. Nikolay Veretennikov, who was stopped by Austin Vanderford in the second round via TKO, was suspended through August 21 pending an MRI and a doctor’s clearance on his injured right shoulder. Veretennikov’s minimum suspension is set to last through April 8, highlighting the seriousness of his injury. Vanderford, the victor in this match, was also suspended, though his suspension is much shorter, lasting only until March 1.
June’s Battle of the Lightweight Division
Anthony Hernandez, who engaged in a fierce lightweight matchup, was suspended through March 24, with no contact allowed until March 15. Brendan Allen and Rob Font, both of whom fought in the preliminary rounds, faced suspensions until March 1. Jean Matsumoto, another fighter who saw action, was suspended through March 24. Similarly, Jean Silva’s suspension was until March 1, and Melsik Baghdasaryan will be out until March 24. These suspensions, while varying in length, reflect the rigorous medical standards enforced by the UFC to ensure the health and safety of its athletes.
Middleweight and Welterweight Suspensions
In the middleweight and welterweight divisions, fighters like Alonzo Menifield and Julius Walker also received suspensions. Menifield, who faced a tough opponent, was suspended through March 24 with no contact until March 15. Walker, another welterweight contender, will be out until March 24. Ion Cutelaba, known for his powerful striking, was given a suspension until March 15, with no contact until March 8. Ibo Aslan and Melquizael Costa, who competed in the preliminary bouts, were suspended until March 1. Andre Fili and Mansur Abdul-Malik, both middleweight fighters, faced similar suspensions, set to last until March 24, with no contact until March 15.
Closures and Longer Suspensions
The card also saw longer suspensions for fighters like Javid Basharat, who was suspended until April 23. Nick Klein and Ricky Simon, both lightweight fighters, were suspended through March 24. Modestas Bukauskas and Raffael Cerqueira, who also had their bouts at the event, were suspended through March 1 and April 23, respectively. The suspensions illustrate the varying degrees of injuries and the careful consideration given to each fighter’s recovery timeline. For fighters like Cejudo and Veretennikov, who face more severe medical issues, these suspensions are crucial to ensuring they have ample time to heal and regain their form before stepping back into the octagon.
