Rafa Garcia and Hayisaer Maheshate collided in a catchweight bout earlier tonight (Sat., Dec. 17, 2022) at UFC Vegas 66 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it turned into one of the bloodiest fights of the year.
Garcia was in control for the majority of the fight, but Maheshate used his length in Round 2 to land some slicing elbows inside. The attacks instantly opened up a cut on the side of Garcia’s head and blood began to leak out. Blood spilled all over Garcia’s body, the back of Maheshate, and the Octagon. It was a sight to behold. Some of the footage can be seen below courtesy of UFC/ESPN:
The elbow that caused Garcia’s cut #UFCVegas66 pic.twitter.com/SPPdC1giLv
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 17, 2022
In the end, Garcia did enough to walk away with the unanimous decision win. However, he lost a ton of blood in one of the most gruesome fights of 2022. The mixed martial arts (MMA) community was on high alert and discussed the bloody action as it rolled in. Check out some of the reaction below:
You know how we all make those lists of “fights to show someone who’s never seen MMA to make them love the sport”? I feel like Garcia-Maheshate was the opposite of that. Lol.
But for those of us that are already in, what a hell of a scrap!!!#UFCVegas66
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) December 17, 2022
immediately gets up after a long ass bloody fight: “HEY WANNA FIGHT MORE?!?”
— Tommy Toe Hold (@TommyToeHold) December 17, 2022
That’s what MMA is all about
Rafa Garcia losing PINTS of blood and he just starts putting Maheshate through the grinder.
That’s how you grit out a tough win in MMA. Incredible resilience by Rafa there.
— Martian MMA (@UFO_UFC) December 17, 2022
Rafa Garcia is a fucking junkyard doggggg
Bleeding like a stuck pig and he just turns up the tempo and starts working Maheshate
Very well could be 2-0 Garcia here
— Martian MMA (@UFO_UFC) December 17, 2022
It’s a crime scene in there
— Terrance ‘T Wrecks’ McKinney (@twrecks155) December 17, 2022
Merry Christmas folks #UFCVegas66 pic.twitter.com/50Jh69pU6o
— Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu) December 17, 2022
Imagine having that much of your opponents blood on you
— Lando Vannata (@GroovyLando) December 17, 2022
— Peter Carroll (@PetesyCarroll) December 17, 2022
For complete UFC Vegas 66 results and coverage click here.