In an episode of the Lights Out podcast, UFC 1 veteran Gerard Gordeau discussed his controversial 1995 fight against Yuki Nakai at the Japan Vale Tudo event, where he intentionally blinded his Japanese opponent.
Gordeau, known for his aggressive fighting style, recounted the April 20, 1995 incident with a startling lack of remorse. During the interview, he revealed that he had warned officials during the match about potential consequences if they didn’t stop the fight.
“I told the referee, ‘You have to stop this because otherwise it’s not good for him,'” Gordeau stated. “I told the Japanese, ‘You have to stop it otherwise I do something with him what is not nice.'”
Despite his warnings, the fight continued, and Gordeau admitted,
“I take his eye out.”
When questioned about his lack of regret in subsequent interviews after the incident, Gordeau was unapologetic:
“I don’t care.”
According to Gordeau, he later visited Nakai’s dojo in Japan, approaching him “because we are Sportsmen.” He expressed frustration not with his own actions but with the officials, saying,
“I was only a little bit upset by the referees and the system there they have.”
Gordeau claimed he confronted officials about allowing the match to continue despite the obvious danger, recalling,
“I said to him why you continue this fight because you know something going to happen and they said no we are the best.”
The eye-gouging incident remains one of the most controversial moments in early MMA history, with Nakai reportedly losing vision in one eye as a result of the injuries sustained during the fight.
