Eye injury cuts Rolando Dy’s UFC debut short

MANILA, Philippines – The UFC debut of Rolando Gabriel Dy didn’t go the way he had hoped it would as the fight was stopped following the second round of his bout against Alex Caceres due to concerns about Dy’s right eye, Saturday, June 17 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. 

The Filipino fighter Dy, who took the fight on two weeks notice, was checked out twice by the ringside physician after the referee noticed in the second round that his right eye had been blinking repeatedly.  

Both times Dy had tried to convince officials he was alright to continue, but the referee made the decision to wave the fight off. 

Dy was struck in the eye by a left hand moments into the first round by a straight left from the American Caceres, who is known as “Bruce Leeroy”, and remained along the cage disoriented as he absorbed several strikes. 

Dy, the son of former ‘80s boxing star Rolando Navarrete, was stunned by a left cross to the jaw, and was knocked off his feet moments later as he attempted a right kick. 

There was no quit in the 25-year-old Dy, who cut his teeth in the Pacific Xtreme Combat and says he’d been waiting for his shot in the world’s premier mixed martial arts company “since day one.” 

With his nose bleeding and Caceres’ arm across his jaw seeking a rear naked choke, Dy powered his way back up and was looking for a takedown of his own as the round ended. 

Dy appeared to signal something about his right eye as the second round began and was moving to his left to keep the fight on the side where he could see. Still, he was able to land several clean strikes, including a powerful 1-2 combination which made the afro hairdo of Caceres sway. 

After the referee halted the fight, Dy fell to the floor in disappointment as Caceres attempted to console him. 

“He’s a tough kid, he has a fighter’s heart within him,” said Caceres (13-10) afterwards of Dy, who drops to 8-5-1 after their 3-round scheduled featherweight fight in the preliminary matches of UFC Fight Night 111. 

“I was really surprised. When I was going for the chokes he defended well. I had his back for a long time but he has a lot of heart in him. I hope he comes back.”

Dy wasn’t the only Filipino fighting in Singapore.

CJ de Tomas of Quezon City, Philippines was on the wrong side of a decision, losing to fellow UFC debutant Naoki Inoue of Toyohashi, Japan by the scores of 30-26 on all 3 cards in the 3-round flyweight fight.

Inoue dominated the former URCC fighter De Tomas on the ground in the second round, floating effortlessly between attempts at rear naked and triangle chokes, and had an arm bar locked in at the end of the round which would’ve forced a tap if not for the horn.

De Tomas continued fighting back in the third, stuffing a takedown attempt and countering with elbow strikes which opened a cut high on Inoue’s head. Inoue eventually took De Tomas down, but the Filipino momentarily had the upperhand, nearly locking in a rear choke of his own before Inoue regained top control until the end of the fight.

The loss is De Tomas’ first in 7 fights, while Inoue moves to 11-0 in his career. – Rappler.com