Junior dos Santos won the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA heavyweight championship despite suffering a broken nose during the fight, marking the fourth time he’s broken his nose but the first time it’s happened during a bout.
Junior dos Santos made history. He became the first Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA heavyweight champ. His victory? A knockout of Alan Belcher. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
Early in the fight, dos Santos found himself up against the cage. He managed to break free, but not without a price. A punch from Belcher sent his nose askew. He continued the fight with a split face and a nose in two places.
He remembers the moment clearly. But, shockingly, he didn’t feel a thing.
“The only punch that really connected was the one that broke my nose,” dos Santos shared. He felt it shift to the side of his face. “Oh my gosh, I broke my nose!” he thought. Despite the broken nose and blood, he managed. Breathing was a challenge, but he coped.
It was a wild moment. He recalls the hook that landed on his nose. “Oh no, again?” he thought. Breathing became a struggle, but he adapted. “I’ll breathe through the mouth, it’s normal,” he decided.
This wasn’t his first rodeo. He’s broken his nose four times. But this was the first time it happened in a fight.
Despite his long career in combat sports, he’d never broken his nose during a fight. Oddly enough, past experiences helped him deal with this adversity.
“The other three times were in training,” he explained. Once, a doctor broke it while trying to fix it. He decided not to fix it again until he retired. This was his fourth broken nose.
“I didn’t feel anything,” he admitted. He just knew he’d have to breathe through his mouth. His past experiences helped him stay calm. “I don’t like feeling pain,” he confessed.
After the fight, his nose was put back in place. He started feeling better soon after. Days later, he was breathing normally.
He’s aware that his nose could break again. That’s why he’s decided to wait until retirement for any surgeries.
“The doctor said my septum is messed up,” he shared. “I said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s been like that for years already.'”
He’s breathing fine now. His right nostril works great, the left one is a bit harder. But he’s okay with it.
Recovery was easier after his victory. He demolished Belcher in the second round. It was a special moment for the 40-year-old veteran. He had faced losses and a shoulder injury that sidelined him for over a year.
Now, he’s on a two-fight winning streak. He’s excited to get back to work once his nose heals.
“It feels very special,” he said. He’s enjoying his fights now, something he never did before.
“I used to fight myself before the fight,” he confessed. Now, he’s just there to put on a good show. He’s having fun, and he’s loving it.