A UFC athlete has shed light on an unusual injury after an elbow strike landed on her ‘anus,’ leaving her unable to sit comfortably without a cushion.
Luana Pinheiro opened up about the ordeal following her recent bout against Gillian Robertson on November 9.
The strawweight fighter is still recuperating from the injury and expressed her discontent with her opponent’s actions, labeling them as ‘disrespectful’ during their match.
Pinheiro, hailing from Brazil, lost the fight at UFC Vegas 100 by unanimous decision and walked out of the octagon limping, due to the injury to her buttocks.
The incident occurred when several 12-6 elbows were aimed at her, leading to the injury.
Previously, these elbow strikes were considered illegal, and the situation worsened as most of the strikes hit her buttocks, with one directly impacting her anus.
Pinheiro explained that these strikes occurred towards the end of the first round, with one landing after the bell had sounded.
Robertson’s actions were seen as surprising.
The repercussions of that day linger for the 31-year-old, who still requires cushioning to sit, even weeks after the fight.
During a recent interview with Ag.Fight, Pinheiro stated, “I definitely felt it there. Excuse my language, but she elbowed my anus.
“To me, that’s disrespectful. I’d never do that to another athlete. She’s a woman fighting there, you know? I’m there because she’s there, we’re chasing the same dream.”
She further commented, “So, it’s only fair to respect your opponent. I think that was really disrespectful on her part. It’s not a move to submit or knock me out, it’s not like that. In my view she did it maliciously, with bad intentions. Not just during the round, but after the bell she did it again.”
As a result of the fight, Pinheiro required medication, which she is only now completing.
“I’m on strong meds. Today’s the last day I’ll take them,” she remarked.
Discussing how her injury has impacted her daily life, she described: “I can’t sit without a cushion or bend my back. I can’t exert much force because I feel it there. At first, I couldn’t walk, cough, or laugh properly. Sneezing was agony, I felt like I was dying, you know?
“It wasn’t the heat of the moment. She knew where she was hitting, you know?”
In a post-fight Instagram message, Pinheiro reflected on how divine intervention plays a role in life events.
She wrote: “If that was your will, my God, even without understanding, I accept and trust!
“Thank you for life and for living it the way I always dreamed of. The martial art was the path that I chose for my personal evolution. So I accept and thank you with open arms.
“Thank you very much to each of you all the support! I’m so blessed to have so many amazing people who cheer for me.”