After putting on a three-round “Fight of the Year” candidate with fellow lightweight contender Jim Miller at UFC 155, Joe Lauzon says he needed 40 stitches to shut the nasty gashes on his face.
“J-Lau” tweeted the update shortly after his co-main event bout ended on Saturday:
40 stitches and a lot of lost blood… But I’m all good. Props to @jimmiller_155 on a great fight! #UFC155
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) December 30, 2012
Sunday evening, Miller gave Lauzon his due for fighting him tough until the bitter end:
Its guys like @joelauzon that make me proud to call myself a fighter. Intelligent, respectful n tough as a coffin nail. Hell of a fight man
— Jim Miller (@JimMiller_155) December 30, 2012
Miller immediately unleashed the violence on Lauzon seconds after the matchup got underway, unleashing vicious elbows, knees and punches that opened up a massive cut over the Massachusetts native’s right eye.
The cut had Lauzon bleeding like a faucet, prompting immediate attention from the cageside doctor.
Luckily for Lauzon and the fans, the bout continued, and fans saw some epic exchanges both on the fight and on the ground in the second and third rounds. While Miller won a clear-cut decision, Lauzon fought until the last second.
The submission specialist nearly found success with a flying heel hook and a guillotine choke in the closing moments of the bout as he looked for a miracle finish.
Lauzon is 3-2 in his past five fights, but Saturday marked just the third time he went to a decision in his 30-fight career, as well as his 11th fight bonus in the UFC.
Meanwhile, Miller is 2-2 in his past four fights, losing to current champion Benson Henderson and recent title challenger Nate Diaz, and defeating Melvin Guillard and Lauzon.
The competitors earned the event’s “Fight of the Night” bonus for their performance, each netting an extra $65,000 paycheck as a result.
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