At UFC 180 Jessica Eye hit Leslie Smith in the ear, cutting it. A cut above the eye is serious, as once cut, skin tears easier, and can deepen, destroying nerves and leaving permanent issues. A cut to the ear is not generally an issue, but remember, once cut, human skin is more subject to deeper cuts. Further, if the ear is full of fluid, there is further pressure.
“When I connected and saw her ear blow up, that became my main target,” said Eye. “I was going to keep hitting it until they stopped the fight or it fell off.”
When Eye hit ear again, it exploded, and became part of MMA unfortunate ear history. Now in an interview with General editor at ESPN The Magazine Ryan Hockensmith, Smith details the recovery in compelling fashion.
Ryan Hockensmith: Well, how is your ear?
Leslie Smith: My ear is not feeling nearly as bad as you’d think it would be feeling. But I can say, my days as an ear model are over.
RH: What did it feel like when the punch landed and your ear exploded?
LS: I really didn’t feel anything. I don’t remember it hurting at all until after the fight. When I watched the replay, I saw the ringside person pushing gauze all the way into my ear, and I remember that in that moment, it did hurt. Otherwise, I was so mad that they stopped the fight that I didn’t feel anything.
RH: There was a photo of you with Dana White afterward. What did he say to you?
LS: He said he could see me screaming that the fight was stopped, but that he was at cageside screaming that the fight should be stopped. I was such a wreck about the loss, but Dana gave me a lot of positive feedback and I asked when I could fight again. He said,”As soon as your ear is ready, you can fight.” So I feel like I am in a really good situation still.
RH: What happened with your ear after you left the cage?
LS: I was so angry and frustrated that the fight was stopped, so I darted to the back. I was in such a bad mood, bumming that I lost the fight. I laid down in the back and watched the replay and then it was like, “Oh OK, I understand why the fight had to be stopped.” Then the doctor came in and numbed it, so he could stitch it back together. He just used one long thread and he kept going and going and going, like he was sewing a blanket or something. I think it took at least an hour.
RH: Were you surprised that your ear became an issue, or is it something that you worried about beforehand?
LS: I had been draining my ear every month for a while, and I was getting three full syringes of fluid out every day. So I knew my ears could be a problem. There is a coolness factor to having a cauliflower ear. But at this point, my cauliflower ears are not screaming hot and sexy.
In the end, Smith said she can’t fight for 60 days, and will wear headgear for the rest of her career. But she also reminded that she would trade her ear for a win in a heartbeat.
