UFC middleweight Bruno Silva was immediately taken to the hospital after appearing to suffer a DENTED SKULL during his bout against Marc-Andre Barriault.
The experienced 185-pound fighter was brutally knocked out in the first round by the Canadian during the UFC 315 preliminary card in Montreal on Sunday morning.
Barriault knocked Silva down with a fierce series of elbows against the cage barrier, with one strike seemingly leaving a visible dent in the Brazilian`s head.
Silva, 35, was quickly taken to the hospital after remaining on the canvas for several concerning minutes.
Medical personnel placed him on a stretcher inside the octagon before transporting him for further medical evaluation.
Fortunately, Silva later shared a positive update on his condition from the hospital, stating that his X-rays were “negative” and imaging scans showed “normal” results.
He posted on his Instagram story in Portuguese, saying: “Good night, just passing to let you know that I’m fine.
“I went to the hospital and had tests, everything is fine with my health.
“I received a lot of messages from people who really like me, it was fine.
“I wanted to win to give my testimony, from everything I went through and managed to stand up, but it’s worth living.
“I am a victor. This is not the moment that will end my story and my legacy.”
Barriault was pleased with his knockout victory but admitted he felt serious concern for Silva`s well-being when he remained on the ground.
The 35-year-old Barriault commented in his post-fight press conference: “I still have goosebumps.
“[But then] I realised he was still on the ground after a couple of minutes.
“Then I felt like something is wrong.”
Following his fifth consecutive defeat in the UFC, it is likely that Silva`s future with the promotion is uncertain.
Percy Harlow