Priscila Cachoeira headlined some news following her loss last Saturday night to Gillian Robertson at UFC 269, and it wasn't for good reasoning.
Cachoeira found herself back in the losing column after she got submitted by Robertson in the last second of the first round to open up the prelims.
Her loss wasn't controversial, but it was what she did inside the Octagon that caused some backlash and scrutiny. As Robertson secured her rear-naked choke on Cachoeira, Cachoeira tried to escape by eye-gouging Robertson.
Cachoeira claimed she didn't eye-gouge on purpose and didn't know she did so when it happened.
“It wasn’t my intention to [gouge] her eye when she was on my back. I didn’t know it was going in the direction of her eye,” Cachoeira said. “My intention was to go for her neck and push it. That was my intention, but I was desperate, almost snoring, and it’s a matter of survival, right? I want to get it off. But it wasn’t my intention to hit her eyes. Never." Cachoeira told MMA Fighting.
Cachoeira has received a lot of negative backlash following her actions. Joe Rogan called her out on the broadcast while Robertson was more stunned by the officiating.
Cachoeira could be on the brink of being released from the UFC following her actions Saturday night and also losing four out of her last six fights. Cachoeira also missed weight by three pounds and forfeited 30% of her purse. Cachoeira says she is regretful of her actions and vows it won't happen again.
“I’ll fix my mistakes,” Cachoeira said. “I apologize once again for what happened. It won’t happen again. It was a matter of survival, right? But I didn’t know I was gouging her eyes. She was on my back, how would I know? If I had to suffer any punishment, it would come at that moment.”
Do you believe Priscila Cachoeira should be punished for eye-gouging Gillian Robertson at UFC 269?