Nikolas Motta reveals grisly cut that forced him out of UFC 287: ‘The second picture is my tendon’

Nikolas Motta had a good reason for pulling out of UFC 287.

Motta, a 30-year-old veteran of the UFC’s Contender Series, was slated to face Ignacio Bahamondes on April 8 in a lightweight bout on UFC 287’s undercard. However, Motta revealed over the weekend that he has been forced to withdraw from the matchup after suffering a deep gash due to an accidental headbutt he sustained in practice.

Motta’s full statement can be read below. The second slide features a up-close-and-personal picture of the cut that forced Motta out of UFC 287. (Warning: Potentially NSFW.)

Don’t swipe left if you have a weak stomach. I had this accident couple days by a headbutt in wrestling practice and my coaches and people that i trust made the decision to ask to to pull back my fight 3 weeks to have enough time to heal this or it would easily open in the fight and they would stop the fight by doctor stoppage. I had a lot stitches all my career but never had one deep like that, this white part on my cut in the second picture is my tendon, it got very swollen and inflamed. So even if felt unbelievable that something like that happened right before my fight, after thinking a lot i could see that was the right choice from my coach that i trust. I been focused and always in shape since after my fight in September last year and didn’t go home for the first time to see my family in the end of the year to stay ready to fight in December or beginning of the year and i been focused since then. So i just need couple weeks to heal that 100% trust the process and finally be back.

Motta (13-4) holds a 1-1 record over two UFC appearances. After winning a decision over Joseph Lowry on Contender Series, he lost his octagon debut via second-round TKO to Jim Miller before bouncing back with a first-round TKO of Cameron VanCamp.

At the time of this writing, it is unclear whether a replacement opponent will be found to keep Bahamondes on the card.

UFC 287 takes place at the Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Fla.