In a recent Muay Thai match, an incident sent shivers through the audience as an athlete’s toenail came perilously close to slicing his opponent’s eyeball.
Asia’s premier MMA promotion, ONE Championship, made its highly anticipated return with ONE FF 39. The event unfolded on November 3 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, showcasing a fusion of muay thai and mixed martial arts, making it a captivating spectacle for martial arts enthusiasts.
Amid a flurry of back-and-forth, action-packed matches that culminated in epic finishes, one bout in particular seized the attention of fans, albeit for all the wrong reasons.
This hair-raising incident transpired during a muay thai clash in the main card, featuring Vladimir Kuzmin and Fabio Reis. The two met at a catchweight of 146 pounds, and it quickly became evident that this was a one-sided affair, with Kuzmin asserting his dominance over Reis throughout every round.
Kuzmin showcased impeccable footwork, utilizing it to control the distance and keep himself out of harm’s way. His repertoire included a diverse range of striking techniques, further adding to his effectiveness in the match.
On the flip side, Reis found it nearly impossible to land a single strike in the opening round. Despite various attempts, including aggressive charges towards Kuzmin, he struggled to connect. Kuzmin capitalized on this, even managing to drop Reis with a powerful right hand.
The action continued with Kuzmin’s dominance unyielding. In a moment that will be etched in the memory of those who witnessed it, Kuzmin launched a ferocious front kick aimed at Reis’ head. However, a slight miscalculation on Reis’s part led to a terrifying outcome. In an attempt to evade the kick, Reis ducked, causing Kuzmin’s toe to become embedded in Reis’s right eye. A slow-motion replay of the incident revealed the harrowing proximity of Kuzmin’s toenail to Reis’s eyeball.
Reis, demonstrating incredible resilience, soldiered on despite the excruciating pain. The match concluded with Kuzmin maintaining his dominance. In the closing moments of the final round, Reis made a spirited comeback, challenging Kuzmin. However, he fell short of securing a victory.
The judges delivered their verdict, unanimously favoring Kuzmin, who added another win to his record, now standing at 19 wins and 3 losses.