Heavyweight Austen Lane might best be remembered as an early opponent of disgraced NFL star Greg Hardy during his transition to MMA. But on Saturday night, Lane finally made his own debut, taking on Australian-New Zealander Justin Tafa on the UFC Jacksonville main card.
Lane, a former football player himself, had run up a six-fight win streak on his way to the UFC, including a finish of octagon vet Juan Adams. Tafa, meanwhile, had won two straight.
The fight did not go the way anyone had planned — or wanted.
Justin “Bad Man” Tafa was marching forward to start the fight, third bout in on Saturday’s main card. Lane made him pay with two heavy kicks to the body, however. To follow up the body kicks Lane threw hands but poked Tafa in the eye, which paused the action. For a good long while, as it turns out. With five minutes on the clock, Tafa was given plenty of time to recover, but it wasn’t to be. The eye poke was so bad that Lane was bleeding out of it. Ref Dan Miragliotta gave Tafa some more time, and the cageside doctor checked on him more than once, however Tafa couldn’t continue so the fight was forced to end.
Oh lord, Justin Tafa just got his eye poked out the back of his skull by Austen Lane 🤢 his damn eye is bleeding #UFCJacksonville pic.twitter.com/pofUqZ43QD
— Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu) June 24, 2023
A disappointing end to Lane’s UFC debut, coming where his football career had played out. No doubt even more frustrating for Tafa, who had to endure a very nasty eye poke.
Official Result: Justin Tafa vs. Austen Lane declared a No Contest (accidental eye poke), Round 1, 0:29
