Four fighters were sent to hospital for precautionary CT scans following UFC Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena. Santiago Ponzinibbio was the most high-profile, knocked out in the second round by Sam Patterson in what was his second consecutive KO loss. Ismael Bonfim also required medical attention after being submitted by Axel Sola via D'Arce choke in round one, while Tyrell Fortune was TKO'd in the third round by Rizvan Kuniev and hospitalised with a suspected broken rib. The event was headlined by Magomed Ankalaev's fifth-round TKO victory over Bogdan Guskov.
Four fighters required hospital treatment following UFC Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena on July 26, with all four undergoing precautionary CT scans after suffering significant damage inside the octagon.
The most prominent casualty was Santiago Ponzinibbio, knocked out in the second round by Sam Patterson. The Argentine welterweight, now 31-10, is 39 years old and has built a career around high-volume striking, averaging 4.78 significant strikes per minute. The loss marks his second consecutive knockout defeat, a troubling streak for one of Argentina's most recognizable fighters. Patterson, the English finisher who improved with the victory, carries a record of 15-3-1 and stands six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach — advantages he used to telling effect. The 30-year-old out of Team Crossface also averages 1.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, showing a well-rounded threat even when the knockout came.
Ismael Bonfim also left for hospital after being submitted by Axel Sola via D'Arce choke in the opening round, while heavyweight Tyrell Fortune was stopped by Rizvan Kuniev in round three and hospitalized with a suspected broken rib. Kuniev, ranked 15th in the heavyweight division, moves to 14-3-1 with the TKO finish. The Russian, who fights out of Gorets Fight Club, stands six-foot-four and carries a 76-inch reach, landing at a 54 percent striking accuracy rate that ranked among the higher figures on the card.
The main event saw Magomed Ankalaev stop Bogdan Guskov by TKO in the fifth round.
Why it matters
- Ponzinibbio's second straight KO loss raises serious questions about his future at the top of the welterweight division
- Patterson's finish of a ranked, experienced opponent could push the Englishman into divisional contention
- Kuniev's third-round TKO and Fortune's suspected broken rib add weight to an already physical heavyweight contest
- Four hospitalizations in one night reflects the unusually punishing nature of the Abu Dhabi card across multiple divisions
