Gruesome Face Cut Steals Show at Sphere — as UFC Makes History as Venue’s First Sporting Event

Mexico’s Irene Aldana shows courage in a bloody defeat.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Irene Aldana of Mexico is cut during her fight against Norma Dumont of Brazil during UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche at Sphere September 14, 2024 at Las Vegas, Nevada. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

UFC 306, the first sporting event held at Las Vegas’s Sphere, promised spectators would feel like they were part of the action. But an up-close look at a gruesome cut across Irene Aldana’s face during a preliminary bout Saturday night might have been more than most stomachs could handle.

The cut caused by an accidental head clash with Norma Dumont of Brazil was caught by cameramen and displayed across the 160,000-square-foot round LED screen. With blood streaming down her face, Ms. Aldana of Guadalajara, Mexico, fought gamely before losing a five-round decision to Ms. Dumont.

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