Thiago Alves taken to hospital after nose-crushing TKO loss at UFC Fight Night 67

Thiago Alves and Carlos Condit

GOIANIA, Brazil – It’s not often that MMA fans see a fight stopped on account of a broken nose, but that’s exactly what happened in the UFC Fight Night 67 main event between Carlos Condit and Thiago Alves.

Alves’ (21-10 MMA, 14-7 UFC) nose was reshaped and relocated by the elbows and punches of Condit (30-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in Round 2 of the bout. The cageside doctor waved off the fight off before the start of Round 3.

Given the visible damage to Alves’ nose, it was no surprise the fighter was taken to the hospital following the event. Giovani Decker, the UFC’s senior video president and general manager for Brazilian operations, announced Alves’ transportation to the hospital at the post-fight news conference.

“Maybe broke his nose – probably broke his nose,” Decker said. “The referee stopped the fight because he could practically not breathe anymore, and we’re awaiting news to release to you guys.”

The extent of the damage and what, if any, surgical repair is necessary will be a determining factor in the length of time that Alves – a fighter with a history of lengthy injury-related layoffs – will be sidelined.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 67, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan contributed to this report on site in Brazil.)