Ariane Carnelossi reveals facial injuries following UFC Vegas 92 headbutts, responds to Piera Rodriguez

Ariane Carnelossi is wearing the damage from her bizarre UFC Vegas 92 outing.

That’s according to the strawweight veteran, who said late Saturday that she suffered a fractured nose, cheekbone injury, and the “formation of a blood clot in the sinus region” following her UFC Vegas 92 disqualification win over Piera Rodriguez. Carnelossi also fired back at Rodriguez, who was disqualified for two headbutts — which were ruled intentional — and then lambasted Carnelossi as a liar and “coward” in a scathing post-fight statement.

“Hey guys, we just got back from the hospital and we’re already at the hotel,” Carnelossi wrote in Portuguese on an Instagram story. “After some tests, it was detected [I have] a fractured nose and an injury to the zygomatic bone, plus the formation of a blood clot in the sinus region.

“Thank you EVERYONE who sent me positive messages. As for [Rodriguez], what people need to understand is that what often differentiates humans from animals are the RULES.”

Carnelossi did not specify if her injuries stemmed from the illegal blows. Her manager told MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz that surgery will not be required.

The offending sequence came after Rodriguez largely dominated Carnelossi for the first eight minutes of Saturday’s bout. Rodriguez downed Carnelossi with strikes, then jumped into Carnelossi’s guard and led with her head, earning her a warning from referee Mark Smith. Shortly thereafter, Rodriguez again brought her head down onto Carnelossi’s in a puzzling sight, prompting Smith to immediately halt the bout. Ringside doctors deemed Carnelossi unable to continue and Carnelossi was awarded the disqualification victory.

Rodriguez then lit into Carnelossi in a social media post after the bout.

“I rather lose a fight because of a mistake I did, than go home calling myself a ‘winner’ knowing I am a coward,” Rodriguez wrote. “I made a big mistake, maybe because of adrenaline…But you have to go to sleep with that lie in your head your entire life! [Carnelossi] and you call yourself brave? I hope you and your team enjoy my money!”

Rodriguez has now dropped two consecutive UFC bouts, while Carnelossi rebounds from a May 2022 loss to Loopy Godinez following a two-year layoff.

UFC Vegas 92 took place May 18 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.