Larry Wheels suffered a bicep tear during his fight against Vitaly, forcing the contest to be ruled a no contest. The injury occurred as Wheels was close to securing a finish against his opponent.
Larry Wheels suffered a torn bicep during his fight against Vitaly, forcing officials to rule the bout a no contest, it was confirmed on August 23, 2026.
According to reports, the injury came at a particularly dramatic moment in the contest. Wheels had worked himself into a position where a finish appeared imminent when the bicep gave way, abruptly ending the action and preventing either man from earning a decisive result.
A no contest ruling is typically applied when a fight cannot continue due to an accidental foul, injury, or other circumstance outside the competitors' control. In this case, the tear removed any possibility of the bout reaching a conclusion on the scorecards or by stoppage, leaving the result wiped from both men's records.
Why it matters
- A no contest means neither fighter receives a win or a loss, leaving their competitive records unchanged
- Wheels was reportedly on the verge of a finish when the injury struck, raising questions about what the outcome might have been
- The severity of a bicep tear typically requires surgery and carries a significant recovery timeline, which will likely affect Wheels' availability for future competition
- Vitaly, who was absorbing pressure at the time of the stoppage, also loses the opportunity for a definitive result on his record
The circumstances surrounding the injury add a layer of frustration to the no contest, particularly given how close Wheels appeared to be to ending the fight on his own terms. The full extent of the injury and any surgical or recovery timeline had not been detailed in initial reports.
