UFC 243 medical suspensions: Al Iaquinta facing long absence

By Tom Taylor - October 8, 2019

Over the weekend, the UFC returned to our screens with the action-packed UFC 243 card in Melbourne, Australia.

Al Iaquinta, UFC 243

The card was topped by a middleweight title fight between undisputed champion Robert Whittaker and interim champion Israel Adesanya. In the end, Adesanya became the UFC’s one true middleweight king with a second-round stoppage of Whittaker.

In the co-main event, we saw New Zealand’s Dan Hooker pick up the biggest win of his career, walloping Al Iaquinta to a decision win.

Because this UFC 243 card occured in a region without a governing body for combat sports, the UFC handled fighter medical suspensions internally.

Here are the medical suspensions for the card (obtained by MixedMartialArts.com):

UFC 243 Medical Suspensions: 

Israel Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker by KO (Strikes, Round 2, 3:33)
7 Days to Adesanya for Mandatory Rest
60 Days to Whittaker for KO – 45 Days No Contact

Dan Hooker defeated Al Iaquinta by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
30 Days to Hooker for Left Knee lacerations and 21 Days No Contact
180 Days to Iaquinta or clear by Negative X-Ray for Left Tib/Fib and Foot X-Rays

Sergey Spivac defeated Tai Tuivasa by Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke, Round 2, 3:14)
7 Days to Spivac for Mandatory Rest
45 Days to Tuivasa for Soreness Right Ribs and 30 Days No Contact

Dhiego Lima defeated Luke Jumeau by Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
7 Days to Lima for Mandatory Rest
30 Days to Jumeau since Scans and X-Rays were negative – 21 Days No Contact

Yorgan de Castro defeated Justin Tafa by KO (Punch, Round 1, 1:20)
7 Days to De Castro for Mandatory Rest
60 Days to Tafa for KO – 45 Days No Contact

Jake Matthews defeated Rostem Akman by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 
7 Days to Matthews for Mandatory Rest
7 Days to Akman for Mandatory Rest

Callan Potter defeated Maki Pitolo by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
30 Days to Potter and 21 Days No Contact
30 Days to Pitolo and 21 Days No Contact

Brad Riddell defeated Jamie Mullarkey by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 30-26, 30-26)
45 Days to Riddell for Left Eyebrow Laceration and and 30 Days No Contact
30 Days to Mullarkey since Scans were Negative, 21 Days No Contact

Megan Anderson defeated Zarah Fairn dos Santos by Submission (Triangle, Round 1, 3:57)
7 Days to Anderson for Mandatory Rest
30 Days to Fairn for Left Eyelid laceration and 21 Days No Contact

Ji Yeon Kim defeated Nadia Kassem by TKO (Punches, Round 2, 4:59)
7 Days to Kim for Mandatory Rest
45 Days to Kassem since CT and X-Rays were Negative – 30 Days No Contact

Khalid Taha defeated Bruno Silva by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke, Round 3, 3:00)
30 Days to Taha and 21 Days No Contact
45 Days to Da Silva for Left Eye Laceration and 30 Days No Contact

What do you think of the medical suspensions for UFC 243? Who do you want to see Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker fight next?