UFC Fighter Matt Mitrione’s Eye Injury Is Even Gnarlier Today

If you’ve been on the internet the last 24 hours, chances are you’ve seen the eye of UFC fighter Matt Mitrione. It is disgusting. It is, by all accounts, one of the gnarliest looking facial injuries suffered in a UFC fight. As Mitrione explained on Twitter, the injury occurred in large part because of two eye pokes from his opponent, Travis Browne.

(WARNING, AGAIN)

Now, to be fair, Mitrione didn’t say the eye pokes were intentional. They very well could have (and were likely) inadvertent. We are talking about two large men kicking and punching each other at high rates of speed – so things like that are bound to happen. But that’s no solace for Mitrione who will have to wait quite some time to get back into the ring.

A broken eye orbital is fairly serious. According to this link from Harvard Medical School it takes a “great deal of force” for something like that to happen. They compare it to slamming your head on a steering wheel during a car crash, or taking a 95 mph fastball to the eye. As to why the blood pooled up in Mitrione’s forehead, a brief explanation:

A frontal bone fracture or frontal sinus fracture involves the upper edge of the eye rim, which is part of the forehead’s frontal bone. Indirect orbital floor fracture (“blowout fracture”) — This occurs when the bony rim of the eye remains intact, but the paper thin floor of the eye socket cracks or ruptures. This can cause a small hole in the floor of the eye socket that can trap parts of the eye muscles and surrounding structures. The injured eye may not move normally in its socket, which can cause double vision.

Here’s to a speedy and complete recovery for Matt Mitrione.