Daniel Cormier suffered horror TORN CORNEA after eye gouge during UFC 252 loss to Stipe Miocic but no longer in hospital
DANIEL CORMIER suffered a TORN CORNEA after having his eye gouged by Stipe Miocic during their UFC 252 clash.
The American MMA star, 41, confirmed his retirement after being left temporarily blinded in one eye following the sickening injury.
But the latest reports claim Cormier will NOT require surgery and was discharged from hospital on Saturday night - hours after his defeat to Miocic.
ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani tweeted: "Daniel Cormier suffered a torn cornea last night, Cormier told me this morning.
"No timetable yet for recovery.
"Doctors said he won’t need surgery just yet but they have to monitor how it heals before knowing for sure.
"He was discharged from the hospital late Saturday night."
I can't see anything.
Daniel Cormier after Miocic eye gouge
Cormier showed he still has the heart of a lion as he bravely battled on despite being unable to see out of his left eye following a poke in the third from Miocic - which was missed by ref Marc Goddard.
After the fight, the American revealed: “I can't see.
“I can't see anything out of my left eye, it's black but it is what it is.
“I told Marc but he said he thought it was a punch but after he said he'd seen it on the replay.”
“I just can't see out of my left eye, it is what it is.”
Cormier quickly announced his retirement from MMA, saying: "I'm not interested in fighting for anything but titles.
"I don't imagine there's going to be a title [fight] in the future... so that'll be it for me.
"I've had a long run, it's been great.
"I just fought my last fight for the heavyweight championship and it was a pretty good fight."
Meanwhile, ref Goddard apologised to Cormier after missing Miocic's eye gouge.
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He wrote on Twitter: “Immediately after the fight when seeing the replay I apologised to Daniel Cormier & his team.
"I do so publicly & unreservedly for missing what I shouldn’t have – but I cannot call what I do not see.
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“I don’t have replays & multiple angles, it’s a one shot take in real time.
"I cannot convey just how much I have both lived and loved this sport for the past 20 years. I truly appreciate all who understand.”