For every brutal slugfest, there’s a price paid in the octagon that fans rarely see. After the Mason Jones vs. Axel Sola war, Dana White decided to post the receipt. The pair met on the prelims of UFC London inside The O2 Arena. Both fighters showcased relentless intensity, trading heavy strikes in a bout that fully lived up to its expectations. For many, it was likely the saving grace of the entire card, largely considered lackluster.

In the aftermath of the lightweight clash, Dana White took to Instagram to share graphic before-and-after images of Axel Sola’s injury following medical treatment. The first photo revealed a deep cut under Sola’s right eye as well as him bleeding out of his nose and lips. The second image, taken after doctors had stitched the wound under his eye, showed the injury neatly closed but still visible and gnarly.

The brutality of the injury was reflected in the fight, too. The first round saw early drama as Axel Sola stunned Mason Jones with a perfectly timed spinning back elbow, scoring a flash knockdown. However, Jones recovered and refused to let it affect the rest of the fight. As the fight progressed, Jones began to find his rhythm, landing cleaner and more consistent strikes.

By the second round, Jones had turned the tide decisively, opening a gruesome cut beneath Sola’s eye that only worsened as the fight continued. Despite the damage, Sola showed incredible heart, continuing to fire back in a gritty, back-and-forth battle that pushed both men to their limits. After three punishing rounds, Jones earned a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). In recognition of the bloody slugfest they put forth, the bout was bestowed “Fight of the Night” honors, and both fighters were awarded $100,000.

Sola’s cut, however, is nothing compared to what happened to this fighter.

Alexander Pantoja nearly lost his arm in a disappointing loss

Just 26 seconds into the fight, a routine exchange turned disastrous when Alexander Pantoja attempted to brace his fall after he caught a head kick during his title defense last year against Joshua Van. As his arm hit the canvas, a disturbing pop followed, leaving him in immediate pain and forcing a stoppage. 

While initial reactions suggested a gruesome elbow injury, officials later clarified it as a shoulder dislocation that “went back into place on its own,” though confusion remains about the exact damage. 

“I’ve been through worse,” Pantoja later shared. “I’ll come back even stronger, you can be sure of that.”

The unfortunate ending robbed fans of a true contest, but his determination signals that this is only a temporary setback in an otherwise dominant career.

That being said, these incidents show how brutal the fight game can be. Hopefully, Axel Sola will make a full recovery. And at least he now has a pretty cool battle scar. What did you think about his cut?