MMA VIDEO: Fighter's Ear Explodes In Horrific Injury at ACA 166

This might be on the short list for worst MMA injuries of the year.

The co-main event of ACA 166 in St. Petersburg, Russia ended in about as disgusting a fashion as you’ll ever see from an MMA fight.

There were no titles on the line at ACA 166, but the card’s main and co-main events featured a pair of bouts that were part of the promotion's ongoing welterweight and middleweight tournaments.

Eddie Hearn Reacts to Controversial Conor McGregor Comments On Immigration In Ireland

Both tournament bouts were scheduled as five-round affairs, and in the co-main event Kyrgyzstan’s Edil Esengulov met Brazil’s Vinicius Cruz to see which welterweight would advance to the next round.

Esengulov entered the night on a tremendous winning streak of 13 fights, while Cruz had won back-to-back bouts after coming up short in his ACA debut last year. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, Esengulov’s ground and pound brought the fight to a sudden and disgusting end in the fourth round (clip courtesy of the one and only @Grabaka_Hitman).

A huge elbow from “Issyk-Kul Dragon” landed directly on Cruz’s ear and caused it to burst, and the action was quickly paused to allow the ringside doctor to take a look at the injury.

It certainly appeared as if Cruz wanted to keep fighting, but the condition of his ear was quickly deemed to be severe enough that the bout was stopped and Esengulov was declared the victor.

It may not have been how he expected to earn his first victory with ACA, but Esengulov will now move on in the promotion’s welterweight tournament and has extended his winning run to 14 fights.

PFL Chairman Donn Davis Drops Major News On Fighter Contracts Amid Bellator Acquisition

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.