‘What was the ref doing’ – Fans fear UFC star could lose his EYE after horror swelling sees fight called off

UFC fans have been left fearing Mohammad Yahya could lose his EYE after suffering a gruesome injury.

Yahya, 31, was in prelims action at the Etihad Arena for UFC againstSteven Nguyen.

Mohammad Yahya was left brutalised by Steven Nguyen in their featherweight clash in Abu DhabiYahya was knocked down six times, a new UFC record, before the ref waved the fight offHe was left with a badly swollen eye, with fans fearing he could lose it

However, Yahya ended up walking away from the featherweight clash with a loss and a badly busted eye.

Nguyen, a product of ‘s Contender Series, scored six knockdowns against the fighter – a new UFC record for the most knockdowns in a single fight.

The ferocity of the 32-year-old left Yahya with no chance, though his determination to carry on meant he was ultimately a glutton for punishment.

Referee Jason Herzog waved off the fight in the second round to award a TKO victory to Nguyen as doctors stepped in to treat the injuries.

But that was not before Yahya was left with a badly swollen left eye.

And quite a few UFC fans were left baffled by how the decision took so long to be reached.

Reacting to the brutal bout on social media, one fan said: “What was the ref doing.. That was an absolute beatdown.”

A second said: “Should have been stopped in the first. No way this nearly went into the third.”

A third added: “Herzog needs to be suspended or fired, especially if he loses that eye.”

Another said: “Something bad could have happened and I hope he won’t lose the eye. Why didn’t they stop the fight after the first knock?”

The fight marked Nguyen’s first win in the UFC since signing a contract in 2023, having lost his debut fight in March 2024 to Youssef Zalal.