Unfortunate circumstances: 12 unforeseen injuries that ended UFC main events

For the first time in UFC history, back-to-back main events have ended with a “TKO due to injury” designation.

First, it was UFC on ABC 3, where Brian Ortega suffered a shoulder injury upon his escape from a Yair Rodriguez submission attempt. One week later, Tom Aspinall suffered a knee injury that ended his UFC Fight Night 208 main event vs. Curtis Blaydes in premature fashion.

While the term “freak injury” might not be appropriate to use when discussing a sport that is inherently dangerous, a dozen have ended in unforeseen injuries – broken legs, separated shoulders, eye pokes, etc. – that don’t typically come in the sequence of MMA combat.

Scroll below to see a chronology of UFC main events that ended in that nature.

Note: Injuries sustained on a TKO due to strikes or tapout due to a submission are not included, nor are retirements on the stool due to extended fight damage or exhaustion. Laceration-based stoppages also are not included since they come as an intentional result of the opposition’s attack.