Mohammad Yahya Suffers Severe Eye Injury, UFC Knockdown Record Set Abu Dhabi

At UFC Abu Dhabi, Emirati fighter Mohammad Yahya suffered a devastating eye injury during his bout against Steven Nguyen, who set a UFC record with six knockdowns in the fight. The swelling around Yahya's eye was so severe it ballooned shut, forcing a second-round TKO stoppage by the referee and medical team. Despite a medical update claiming Yahya had no facial fractures, veteran fighters and fans expressed skepticism, noting that swelling can often hide fractures and underscoring concerns about the severity of his injury. UFC President Dana White shared an image of Yahya’s injury on social media, highlighting the brutality of the injury while promoting the event’s main card. Yahya’s toughness was praised, but the extent of the damage raised alarms about the risks fighters face, with comparisons drawn to past serious eye injuries in the UFC. Meanwhile, the event featured other notable fights including Shara Magomedov’s comeback win and a headlining bout between Robert Whittaker and Reiner de Ridder.