UFC Featherweight Lucas Almeida may be entering his UFC Rio match up compromised.
The Brazilian slugger is scheduled to face Texan striker Michael Aswell tomorrow evening (Sat., Oct. 11, 2025) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but there appears to be an issue with his right hand. Eagle-eyed Redditor /u/TheBigRedHalfrican noticed that Aswell’s right hand was severely swollen at Friday’s weigh-ins. It’s impossible to diagnose from a screenshot alone, but Almeida’s hand certainly appears broken. At the very least, it’s an obvious edema.
Unfortunately, UFC fighters often enter bouts with injuries. It’s a common strategy among professional fighters to neglect to mention injuries during pre-fight medical exams, because it they “happen” during the bout itself, event insurance will cover the cost. It’s an open secret! The promotion doesn’t want fights to be canceled, and athletes still want to get paid.
Even so, injuries are usually harder to detect. There’s clearly something wrong with Almeida’s hand visible to anyone with eyes, but at the time of writing, the fight is scheduled to go on regardless.
