An update on Bellator heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov, victim of a nasty groin kick at Bellator 215.
It was an unfortunate end to the Bellator 215 main event on Friday night, as Sergei Kharitonov took a brutal kick to the groin from Matt Mitrione, and he was rendered unable to continue just 15 seconds into the fight.
Kharitonov, who was writhing in pain the moment he hit the canvas, was taken out of the cage on a stretcher and transported to a hospital. The latest update is that he was indeed in enough pain that he had to go back into the hospital Saturday morning, per ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
“Sergei Kharitonov was discharged from a local Connecticut hospital last night after getting kicked in the groin by Matt Mitrione, which resulted in a no contest, sources told ESPN,” Helwani reported. “However, he experienced more pain and discomfort this morning and was re-admitted to the hospital.”
“After another round of tests, the doctors determined he did not suffer from any internal bleeding. According to Bellator sources, he does have a hemorrhoid as a result of the kick and has been given topical and pain medication by doctors.”
Kharitonov has since been discharged again.
The accidental kick resulted in a no contest, officially the fastest NC in Bellator MMA history. Mitrione was apologetic in the aftermath, even offering up an immediate rematch against the Russian.
“I cannot begin to explain how sorry I am for everybody that paid to come to the fight to watch that fight between Sergei and I,” Mitrione said (via MMAjunkie). It would’ve been really dope – it would’ve been a great fight. Obviously, it was not intentional – the worst possible situation.
“… Sergei: I’m genuinely sorry. I’m apologetic as I could possibly be.”
“If Sergei is down to go, if he can do it, if his body’s good – hopefully he didn’t rupture a (testicle) – but if he can do it again, then obviously I’m 100 percent down,” Mitrione said. “He’s the only person I really want to fight in this situation because everybody, I think, deserves that. It would’ve been a great fight and a lot of fun. It just sucks, man.”