Hospital trips aren’t unusual in MMA. They happen after most bouts. But this fighter found himself in a frightening situation after his fight at UFC Macau last night. Former UFC title challenger Alex Perez faced Su Mudaerji on the UFC Macau card at the Galaxy Arena, and in the second round of their flyweight bout, everything went horribly wrong.

In the first round, both remained competitive with neither gaining a sizable edge. The official scorecards reflected the split. In the second round, the Chinese fighter dropped Perez with a clean left hand and pressured heavily for a finish. However, Perez survived the onslaught and managed to return to his feet. Then, at the 1-minute 45-second mark, Su Mudaerji threw a front kick that landed on Perez’s groin.

The 34-year-old fell to the canvas in severe pain and vomited into a bucket. Considering the accidental low blow, the ringside doctors gave Perez five minutes to recover, but he still couldn’t continue. Referee Mark Craig then ended the bout and declared the result a no-contest.

In the aftermath, MMA Mania reported that Alex Perez was immediately taken to a local hospital for a precautionary testicular ultrasound. Results of his medical examination have yet to be shared publicly. However, such check-ups aren’t out of the norm—fighters are often taken to the hospital after especially brutal fights; in Perez’s case, a groin kick, considered a low blow and illegal, warrants a testicular ultrasound even if he appears fine later.

The stoppage, however, halted the momentum Perez had managed to build following his first-round knockout victory over Charles Johnson in January this year. It also added to an especially unfortunate few years the 34-year-old has been having since 2020. He has seen 13 fights canceled for various reasons, but not all of the cancellations were his fault.

In his last eight fights, Perez has lost five, won two, and had one no-contest from last night. With UFC viciously trimming its roster, Perez’s resume fits the bill of someone who may soon face the axe. Su Mudaerji, on the other hand, was riding a three-fight win streak before the last fight.

In any case, though, this isn’t the first time a fighter was taken to the hospital for the same reason. 

A UFC Vegas 86 fighter was in the same situation

After UFC Vegas 86 back in February 2024, Chinese fighter Aoriqileng was transported to a Las Vegas hospital following his fight. He had suffered an accidental groin strike during his bantamweight bout against Daniel Marcos. The incident occurred in the second round when Marcos unintentionally landed a low blow that left Aoriqileng unable to continue. 

As a result, the fight was ruled a No Contest after he was given five minutes to recover. According to reports, the Chinese fighter underwent a testicular ultrasound along with precautionary CT scans of his head and face. His manager later confirmed that the structure of his testicles was intact, though swelling was discovered around the surrounding tubes.

Two other fighters from the event, Ihor Potieria and Fernie Garcia, were also transported for precautionary medical scans after their respective bouts. 

While it may sound alarming that a UFC fighter was taken to a hospital, the reality is that it’s often precautionary. It’s the kind of thing that prevents small injuries from becoming significant.