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'She Did it Maliciously' ... UFC Fighter 'Couldn't Walk' After Foul Play

Luana Pinheiro reveals she is still in pain three weeks removed from her fight with Gillian Robertson.

Mathew Riddle

UFC

The reintroduction of the 12-6 elbow into the UFC has already led to some interesting moments on fight night, to say the least, including Gillian Robertson landing vicious elbows to the tailbone of Luana Pinheiro during their bout at UFC Apex 100 on November 10.

'The Savage' unloaded on her opponent in the final seconds of round one, and what initially seemed like an eyebrow-raising exchange has had surprisingly long-lasting effects on Pinheiro.

Speaking to Ag.Fight, Pinheiro revealed that she is still in pain from that exchange, almost three weeks detached from the fight.

"She elbowed my anus," Pinheiro said. "... It's not a move to submit me or knock me out... In my view she did it maliciously with bad intentions. ... I'm on strong meds [for the pain]. ... I can't sit without a cushion. Or bend my back. ... At first I couldn't walk."

The technique is akin to foot stomps, where adrenaline drowns the pain during the fight but flares up when the athlete is settled. Coccyx injuries are slow to heal and cause issues with sitting, amongst a plethora of other regular activities. As an extension of the spine, strikes to the coccyx should count as fouls in professional MMA, per the Unified Rules:

Strikes to the spine or the back of the head;

a. The back of the head starts at the Crown of the head with a one (1) inch variance to either side, running down the back of the head to the occipital junction. b. This area stretches out at the occipital junction (nape of the neck) to cover the entire width of the neck. It then travels down the spine with a one (1) inch variance from the spine’s centerline, including the tailbone.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.