Now we know what caused Mark Martin’s gruesome eye injury.
On Friday night, Martin lost to Dilano Taylor by doctor’s stoppage in between the first and second round at PFL Challenger Series 2. Martin had damage inflicted upon his eye, prompting the cage-side physician to examine him. Almost immediately, the fight was waved off after it was evident that Martin’s eye grotesquely bulged out of his head. Martin was transported to the hospital afterward.
On Saturday, Martin’s manager, AJ Ariosa of First Round Management, provided an updated MMA Junkie’s Nolan King on his client’s status. According to Ariosa, Martin’s injury occurred after he blew his nose, and the pressure blew his eye out of its socket. Ariosa said Martin suffered an orbital fracture, but “it’s looking like he’s going to be good to go, no surgery.”
Ariosa added that doctors said Martin should not fly home from Florida to Arizona because “air pressure in the plane could move the fracture, causing pain and make things worse.” Martin and his team could be driving home cross country.
The cageside doctor waves off the fight inbetween rounds. Dilano Taylor gets the W!#PFLonFuboTV LIVE NOW
🇺🇸 https://t.co/R67yD8VVFQ
🌍 https://t.co/StPf5kcxnW pic.twitter.com/eKZ6bmEoFS— PFL (@PFLMMA) February 26, 2022
Martin (7-2) found success early in the fight, but a couple of hard shots from Taylor (8-1) caused swelling and damage to his left eye.
Martin, 28, had been riding a six-fight winning streak heading into PFL Challenger Series 2.
