When the UFC CEO posts an injury snap, it’s never for the faint of heart. The fight world hasn’t forgotten when Dana White casually dropped a story featuring Chris Weidman’s snapped leg after he clashed with Uriah Hall at UFC 261. Now, fast forward to 2025, and the boss is back at it. This time, he’s taken to Instagram to drop another bone-chilling reel—revealing a gruesome injury suffered by Daniel Frunza. This is Dana White’s way of asking ‘So you want to be a fighter?’
The UFC CEO took to his Instagram handle to share the aftermath of Daniel Frunza vs. Rhys McKee. Riding on four back-to-back defeats under the promotion, the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder finally tasted victory under the UFC after he nearly ended Frunza’s career. The Carpi, Italy fighter nearly had his upper lip cut in two from McKee’s abuse.
Rhys McKee get the TKO win following the doctor stoppage after round one #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/mzkL6ZypPe
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 6, 2025
McKee started the fight aggressively, throwing multiple bursts of strikes at the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate. ‘Tigano’ held his own at first but crumbled soon after. At the end of the first round, Frunza suffered serious damage to his right eye, a gruesome cut above his upper lip, a leaking nose, and multiple other injuries.
The cage-side physician looked at the fighter’s hanging upper lip and decided it was time to step in. Official Result: Rhys McKee def. Daniel Frunza via TKO (Doctor Stoppage), Round 1, 5:00. As the UFC CEO shared the graphic injury on his Instagram handle, ‘Championship Rounds’ shared the snapshot on their X handle, to the fans’ horror.
Dana White shares the aftermath of Daniel Frunza vs. Rhys McKee
Remember Alistair Overeem’s dangling lip after his battle with Jairzinho Rozenstruik? That was one of the most gruesome lip injuries the UFC had ever seen. However, it appears that the record has been brutally broken by Daniel Frunza. “Is this one of the worst lip injuries in the UFC?”
Mike Tyson has a distinct lisp and slightly slurred speech. The speech impediment, known as a lisp, specifically a lateral or frontal lisp, where ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds come out more like ‘th.’ Now that Frunza suffered a brutal lip injury, the fans believe that he might have to live with Mike Tyson’s condition now: “He is gonna talk like Mike Tyson now.” Furthermore, another fan asserted that Frunza will have a lisp his entire life: “he’s gonna have a lisp for life.”
A fan has come forward to add a sarcastic comment directly attacking Dana White: “All that for Dana to give him $5 and some chewing gum.” Another social media user called out to the aspiring fighters to introspect on their career choice, “Low ears. So you want to be a ultimate fighter buddy?? Well first let me fuck you on this deal then let’s talk some more buddy.” Last but not least, another social media user pointed out the severity of the injury, “Ouch, that’s a nasty one!”
Daniel Frunza’s debut fight didn’t go as planned. However, the Capri, Italy native got a taste of the level of competition in the Dana White-led promotion. What are your thoughts on the fight? Share your opinion in the comments below
The post “That’s a Nasty One”- Daniel Frunza’s Hospitalization Has Fans Join Dana White After Serious Lip Injury at UFC Fight Night appeared first on EssentiallySports.
