10 Most Horrifying MMA Injuries Of All Time

5. Leslie Smith's Exploding Ear

Leslie Smith is in an odd place at the moment. She's currently 3-1 in her last four UFC fights, with that sole loss coming against the impossibly destructive Cris Cyborg, but the promotion bought out the last fight on her contract so she wouldn't compete at Fight Night 128. 'The Peacemaker' is taking her former employers to court, but for now, she's in limbo.

This isn't the first time she's experienced such misfortune under the UFC banner. Fighting Jessica Eye in November 2014, Smith suffered a gruesome injury when a wayward punch caught her cauliflower ear, sending claret everywhere. There was more to it than the blood, though: Leslie's lug was literally torn away from her head at the top.

A doctor's stoppage brought the fight to an immediate end, and Smith was tended to after the punch. It took the medic an hour to stitch the ear back on afterwards, and surprisingly, Leslie's post-fight medical suspension came in at just 50 days. She returned to defeat Rin Nakai via unanimous decision four months later, but was advised to train with headgear for the rest of her career.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.