Bruno Silva is dealing with the aftermath of his recent fight against Chris Weidman at UFC Atlantic City, where he sustained serious eye injuries due to multiple eye pokes by his opponent.
Returning to Curitiba, Brazil, after the event, Silva underwent an examination by an ophthalmologist to assess the damage caused by the eye pokes. The results revealed that he had lost 30 percent of his vision in one eye.
"[Weidman] poked both my eyes, and the exam showed I lost 30 percent of my vision in one of the eyes," Silva revealed to MMA Fighting. Despite the concerning diagnosis, Silva remains hopeful that his vision will recover with time.
Initially ruled as a TKO victory for Weidman, the fight's outcome was later overturned to a technical decision. However, Silva's team intends to appeal the decision to the New Jersey Athletic Control Board, seeking to change the result to a no-contest.
Reflecting on the fight, Silva criticized the referee's handling of the situation and emphasized the impact of Weidman's eye pokes.
“The referee was bizarre,” Silva told MMA Fighting the day after the fight. “He f***** up, and then f***** up on top of that, the least they could do is a no-contest. No way. He put his finger inside my eye.”
In response to the controversy, Weidman expressed regret for the eye pokes but maintained that his victory was legitimate. Despite acknowledging the accidental fouls, Weidman questioned Silva's reaction to the eye pokes, suggesting that it may have been exaggerated.
"I feel like it’s a legitimate win," Weidman stated. "I don’t want to poke a guy in the eyes... It’s unfortunate. I don’t want that to happen. It’s never happened before."
Weidman also shared a photo of his own eye, which showed the visible effects of an eye poke he suffered during the fight.
Chris Weidman’s eye days after his #UFCAtlanticCity win over Bruno Silva 😳 pic.twitter.com/D1ynv7yqe2
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) April 3, 2024
While the UFC has yet to announce whether a rematch between Silva and Weidman will take place, Weidman remains open to the possibility. However, he maintains that his victory in their previous encounter was well-deserved.
As Silva continues his recovery, the controversy surrounding the fight serves as a reminder of the physical risks and challenges faced by fighters in the MMA world.