Hospital trips aren’t unusual in MMA. But this fighter found himself in a frightening situation after his bout at UFC Macau. This Saturday, former UFC flyweight title challenger Alex Perez faced Su Mudaerji on the UFC Macau card at the Galaxy Arena. And in the second round, everything went horribly wrong.

Su Mudaerji accidentally connected a low blow to Perez’s groin, which immediately sent the 34-year-old crashing to the canvas in agony. The flyweight tried to return to the fight, but he was visibly ill and even started vomiting into a bucket. He was given a full five minutes to recover, but he couldn’t continue, and the fight was declared a no-contest. 

In the aftermath, MMA Mania reported that Perez was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary testicular ultrasound. Results of his medical examination have yet to be shared publicly. However, such check-ups aren’t out of the norm—fighters are often taken to the hospital after especially brutal fights; in Perez’s case, he was kicked in the groin. 

The stoppage, however, halted the momentum Perez had managed to build following his first-round knockout victory over Charles Johnson in January this year. It also added to an especially unfortunate few years the 34-year-old has been having since 2020. He has seen 13 fights canceled for various reasons, but not all of the cancellations were his fault. 

In his last eight fights, Perez has lost five, won two, and drawn one, which was the Macau bout. With UFC viciously trimming its roster, Perez’s resume fits the bill of someone who may soon face the axe as well. Su Mudaerji, on the other hand, was riding a three-fight win streak before his last outing, which halted his momentum. 

In any case, though, this isn’t the first time a fighter was taken to the hospital for the same reason. 

A UFC Vegas 86 fighter was in the same situation

After UFC Vegas 86 back in February 2024, Chinese fighter Aoriqileng was transported to a Las Vegas hospital following his fight. He had suffered an accidental groin strike during his bantamweight bout against Daniel Marcos. The incident occurred in the second round when Marcos unintentionally landed a low blow that left Aoriqileng unable to continue. 

As a result, the fight was ruled a No Contest after he was given five minutes to recover. According to reports, the Chinese fighter underwent a testicular ultrasound along with precautionary CT scans of his head and face. His manager later confirmed that the structure of his testicles was intact, though swelling was discovered around the surrounding tubes.

Two other fighters from the event, Ihor Potieria and Fernie Garcia, were also transported for precautionary medical scans after their respective bouts. 

While it may sound alarming that a UFC fighter was taken to a hospital, the reality is that it’s often precautionary. It’s the kind of thing that prevents small injuries from becoming significant.