MMA fighter Janaina Soares avoids serious injury despite shocking hematoma in TKO loss

Brazilian atomweight Janaina Soares lost her professional mixed martial arts debut recently in Itaborai, Brazil, and a photo of her face went viral online days later.

Soares, who had previous experience in muay thai before making the transition to MMA, took on Vanessa Goncalves at Favela Kombat 30 in a 105-pound fight, and doctors called the end of the fight between rounds two and three, ruling Soares unfit to return to the final five minutes.

Despite the gruesome hematoma in her face, caused by elbows from the mount position, Soares’ coach Lucas Chagas, who trains her at Scorpion Fight Team, told MMA Fighting that the debuting fighter suffered no serious injury in defeat.

“She did exams the next day, her eyes are open already, and she suffered no injury in the skull,” Chagas said. “It was swollen because of the elbows, but everything is fine.”

According to her coach, Soares is not planning a long break between fights despite the tough loss, as she’s booked to return to action on Oct. 20, facing Julie Mezabarba at Rio de Janeiro’s NCE 31.