"I knew that my future depended on my performance, so I entered that Octagon thinking, no matter what happens, I can bleed, break myself, but I will keep moving forward in search of the knockout."
"It was right at the beginning of the second round. I was sure I had broken it when I landed a second punch to his head that got him dizzy. Even in a lot of pain, I kept punching him with the broken hand. I fought like I was fighting for my life, and it was worth it."
"Actually he told me I could immobilize it, but it would take longer, so I opted for surgery to return as soon as possible. We're going to schedule the surgery for next week. I want to fight two or three more times in 2026."
Carlos Leal faced Chidi Njokuani in a welterweight bout at UFC Houston on the final fight of his contract, knowing he needed a convincing victory to secure his future in the UFC. Leal won via unanimous decision but suffered a broken hand early in the second round after landing punches to Njokuani's head. Despite the injury and significant pain, Leal continued fighting aggressively throughout the bout. Following the victory, Leal received confirmation of his contract renewal on Tuesday night. He subsequently underwent imaging tests and decided to have surgery on his hand to expedite recovery, targeting a return with multiple fights planned for 2026.
Read at Sherdog
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