In a high-stakes showdown at Bellator Dublin, Johnny Eblen faced off against Fabian Edwards, the brother of UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. The animosity between the fighters was palpable, and they wasted no time getting down to business inside the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

Right from the opening bell, Eblen and Edwards engaged in fierce exchanges, each determined to dictate the fight’s pace. However, the stark contrast in their skills became very evident early on in the match itself. Eblen seemed to have the upper hand when it came to striking, while Edwards displayed patience in his search for opportunities. He consistently pressed forward, refusing to back down.

As the bout entered the second round, Eblen managed to secure a couple of takedowns, earning crucial points. Nonetheless, it was Edwards who delivered the most significant blow of the night. With a perfectly placed elbow strike, he created a gruesome cut on Eblen’s forehead, shocking the audience and leaving him bloodied. But that wasn’t enough to end it there. In the third round, Eblen dropped Edwards with a vicious right hand, followed by a spirited ground-and-pound KO to take the middleweight title home.

UFC star Dustin Poirier shares “gruesome” image of Johnny Eblen and his injury

In the aftermath of Eblen’s win, Dustin Poirier, the #3 UFC lightweight star, who happens to be in Dublin at the moment – shared a gruesome picture of Johnny Eblen’s injury. Taking to his X handle, ‘The Diamond’ wrote: 

Just for the record, with this win, Eblen extended his impressive Bellator winning streak to ten fights. With a flawless record of 14-0 and two successful title defenses, he solidified his status as one of the premier fighters on the Bellator MMA roster. As he continues to make waves for his grit, he makes a strong case for being one of the best 185-pound fighters on the planet.

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Within minutes, Poirier’s X tweet went viral among fight fans. The graphic nature of the injury, coupled with the amusing tweet caption, definitely raised a lot of eyebrows. Likewise, MMA fans flocked to social media platforms to share their take on the injury.

Post-fight images of Eblen and his ‘nasty’ cut sparks fan frenzy

As the graphic image of Eblen’s gruesome cut circulated on social media, fans couldn’t help but react to the jaw-dropping extent of the injury. Let’s take a look at some of the fan reactions that captured the intensity of the moment and their humorous take on Eblen’s extraordinary battle scar:

One fight fan humorously acknowledged the severity of Eblen’s injury, suggesting:

Moreover, another fan expresses their shock at the gruesome injury, chiming in with:

A netizen’s comment adds a touch of dark humor, suggesting:

Another fan’s comment echoes the popular sentiment around Eblen’s injury:

What’s more – hordes of fight fans poured in with some amusing and over-the-top comments like,

Nevertheless, Johnny Eblen’s face-splitting injury serves as a stark reminder of the brutal nature of combat sports. As fans continue to express their awe and amazement, Eblen’s resilience and the shocking cut on his forehead have become indelible moments in the sport’s history. So, what do you feel about the grit displayed by this middleweight champ? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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