Patricio Pitbull Reveals Brutal Injury in UFC 327 Loss

The former Bellator champion suffered orbital and nasal fractures that impacted his performance against Aaron Pico.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:05pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, multi-perspective painting in muted navy, charcoal, and olive tones, breaking down a UFC fight scene into sharp, overlapping geometric planes to conceptually represent the physical adversity Patricio Pitbull faced in his UFC 327 loss.A fractured, geometric illustration captures the physical toll of Patricio Pitbull's UFC 327 loss, as the former Bellator champion fought through orbital and nasal fractures.Today in Miami

Patricio Pitbull, the former Bellator champion, revealed that he suffered fractures to his orbital bone and nose during his UFC 327 loss to Aaron Pico. Pitbull started the fight strongly but his performance dropped off sharply in the second round due to the injuries, which compromised his vision. Despite the setback, Pico was able to secure his first UFC victory and break into the featherweight rankings.

Why it matters

Pitbull's injury provides an explanation for his sudden performance decline against Pico, a fellow former Bellator fighter. The revelation sheds light on the physical toll MMA fighters can endure and the challenges they face in overcoming unexpected in-fight adversity.

The details

Pitbull was unable to string together consecutive wins in the UFC, losing his debut against Yair Rodriguez before beating Dan Ige at UFC 318. However, his attempt to record a first winning streak was derailed by Pico at UFC 327 in Miami. Pitbull revealed that a sequence of strikes in the first round resulted in fractures to his orbital bone and nose, compromising his vision and forcing him to simply try to protect himself in the second and third rounds.

  • Pitbull lost his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez.
  • Pitbull beat Dan Ige at UFC 318 last July.
  • Pitbull suffered the orbital and nasal fractures during the first round of his fight against Aaron Pico at UFC 327.

The players

Patricio Pitbull

A former Bellator champion who was making his third appearance in the UFC, known for his accomplished MMA career.

Aaron Pico

A former Bellator fighter who secured his first UFC victory against Pitbull, breaking into the featherweight rankings at No. 13.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Congrats to my opponent, he was well-trained and really fast. Some people in the media were saying that I was doing well in the first round but my performance dropped off sharply from the first to the second round.”

— Patricio Pitbull, UFC Fighter

“It turns out that I took a clean shot right in the eye, with my eye wide open. A sequence of a jab and a straight right, and it ended up fracturing my orbital bone right here and this side of my nose. That compromised my vision right at the start of the second round, so all I could do was try to protect myself from the blows that were coming.”

— Patricio Pitbull, UFC Fighter

What’s next

Pitbull will likely need time to recover from the orbital and nasal fractures before returning to the Octagon. His next fight will be closely watched to see if he can rebound from the setback against Pico.

The takeaway

Pitbull's injury reveals the physical toll MMA fighters can endure and the challenges they face in overcoming unexpected in-fight adversity. Despite the setback, Pico was able to secure a career-defining victory, breaking into the featherweight rankings and proving his potential as a rising star in the UFC.