UFC Fighter Suffers Serious Eye Injury
Rong Zhu suffered a severe injury around his left eye during a lightweight bout with Chris Padilla at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on September 7, 2024. Padilla won by second-round stoppage after landing an elbow; Zhu was taken to a hospital for precautionary imaging.
The stoppage
Padilla landed a counter elbow that immediately caused Zhu to reach for his eye. The referee and ringside doctor stopped the bout, awarding Padilla a TKO victory. UFC’s preliminary-card recap describes the sequence.
Medical update
UFC officials confirmed to MMA Mania that Zhu was transported to a local hospital for a precautionary scan. The cited report did not confirm multiple fractures or permanent vision loss, so those claims should not be repeated as facts. The hospital report describes the scan.
Career context
Zhu had returned to the UFC after winning Road to UFC, but the injury’s long-term impact was not known at the time. A medical evaluation and later fight record are needed before drawing conclusions about his vision or future career.
The confirmed update was limited: Zhu went for precautionary imaging after the stoppage. That is materially different from reports of a specific fracture or lasting vision damage, neither of which the cited coverage established. The result and hospital trip can be stated; his recovery and return required later information.
Sources
Tags: MMA
