The bantamweight clash between Javid Basharat and Victor Henry at UFC 294 took an unexpected turn, ultimately concluding in a no-contest. This surprising outcome arose when Henry showed signs of grappling with severe pain. He called for immediate medical attention during the bout.
Although not the first instance of a groin strike in the event, this particular incident led to a stoppage as Henry found himself unable to proceed.
In the first round, Basharat and Henry exhibited calculated strategies as each had their moments. The audience braced themselves for what promised to be a fiercely competitive second round.
But everything changed when Basharat unleashed a devastating groin kick on Henry. The impact left Henry in excruciating pain, his face pressed against the mat.
After a tense two-minute interval, the doctor entered the ring with surprising news. It was declared that the kick had not struck Henry’s testicles. However, Henry contested this assessment and insisted that it had indeed made contact.
In the commentator’s booth, Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier couldn’t hide their disbelief. They openly expressed their frustration at the turn of events. Following a five-minute break, the match was ultimately declared a no-contest as Henry exited the octagon.
The exchange between Victor Henry and the attending doctor was captured live, captivating the attention of fans. The entire sequence of events struck many as utterly bizarre. The doctor’s assertion that Henry’s strike hadn’t affected his below the belt area garnered widespread criticism, with numerous fans considering it a highly unprofessional judgment.
Some of the comments were as follows:
“That doctor trying to tell him that he wasn’t hit in the balls was ridiculous”
“UAE Doctor “hes faking””
“The #ufc294 commentary team are literally saying that Victor Henry was vomiting backstage and is now being rushed to the hospital after that groin shot. He has the prayers of all men around the world with him now.”
The commentators Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier underscored the gravity of the situation. They pointed out that Henry reportedly experienced vomiting backstage and was subsequently hospitalized following the injury.
Despite that, his opponent tried to claim it a TKO victory – something his cornerman (former UFC star) Josh Barnett fiercely opposed.
Barnett reacted to this proclamation saying:
“Now you put words in my mouth. What are you on? Victor scared? You’re delusional – not only about the lowblow situation, Victor the man and the fighter, and about how well you were doing in that fight and your skills.
We already asked for the rematch so we will see who quits.”
This wasn’t the first exchange Barnett had with Henry’s opponent either.
According to Barnett, UFC is familiar with what transpired and was footing the bill for recovery. Henry was released from the medical center and was given anti inflammatories.
this is called pain. #UFC294 pic.twitter.com/P4D6wfnAKO
— Hotep Davei 𝕏 (@Davei_Boi) October 21, 2023
Some of the footage from the incident had an audible pop when the leg colided with the cup however it’s not apparent in many of the replays.