UFC 331 results: Alonzo Menifield beats Iwo Baraniewski despite breaking thumb in first round

There are some fights that just redefine what tenacity and grit are in mixed martial arts.

The first fight of UFC 331's main card Saturday night featured Alonzo Menifield taking on the undefeated Iwo Baraniewski in a light heavyweight bout.

Menifield came out of the fray victorious by split decision, but he was not unscathed. It was revealed that he suffered a total compound fracture of his left thumb …

… in the first round.

The following video is graphic.

The fighter persevered through the pain, fighting two more rounds despite the injury. The live-stream audience didn't even know there was an injury until a medical stoppage between the second and third rounds, when the referee noticed it and alerted the doctor.

After he was medically checked, Menifield continued to reassure the doctor he was fine to keep going, and he finished the fight, despite the audience and color commentators wincing every time he used his left hand.

The win moves Menifield to 19-6-1. He came into this fight off a first-round knockout victory over Zhang Mingyang. The light heavyweight competitor was ranked No. 14 heading into Saturday and could be in line for a top-10 bout — once his thumb fully heals.

Baraniewski, the heavy favorite in this fight, suffered the first loss of his UFC career. He is now 9-1-0, and this was also the first fight of his professional career that went past the first round.

This was the third fight that Baraniewski had this calendar year. Previously, he beat Austen Lane in March and Junior Tafa in June, both by first-round knockout.

Check out complete UFC 331 results, highlights and round-by-round updates here.