Aleksandar Rakic sustained torn ACL against Jan Blachowicz at UFC Vegas 54, to undergo surgery

If the 3rd round TKO loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC Vegas 54 was already a crushing moment for Aleksandar Rakic, the Austrian MMA fighter has now received another setback as MRI reports have confirmed his knee injury to be a torn ACL and is set to undergo surgery which is expected to keep him out of action for quite some time.

Aleksandar Rakic suffers third ACL tear in his MMA career, first in right knee

Rakic, the 3rd ranked Light Heavyweight contender took on former champion Blachowicz in the main event of UFC Vegas 54 which took place on 14th May at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Into 71 seconds of third round, Rakic’s right knee gave out as he took an awkward back step, as he fell to the canvas and his face made it clear that the injury is grave. “Rocket” was promptly ruled unable to continue, awarding Blachowicz a win via technical knockout.

Jan Blachowicz wins after Aleksandar Rakic suffers devastating knee injury at UFC Vegas 54 - MMA Fighting — Blachowicz won the main event of UFC Vegas 54 via TKO as Rakic tore his ACL in the third round. (Image Courtesy: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

The MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani confirmed the news of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) that Rakic underwent on Monday, revealing that the fighter did suffer a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee, his third ACL injury after sustaining two more ACL tears in his left knee in the past. He is expected to undergo surgery, the date of which is yet to be revealed.

“Aleksandar Rakić tore the ACL in his right knee on Saturday night, an MRI confirmed today. He is flying back home this evening. No surgery scheduled yet, but it will be needed. He has overcome 2 ACL tears in his left knee, and this is his first in his right,” Helwani tweeted.

Aleksandar Rakić tore the ACL in his right knee on Saturday night, an MRI confirmed today.
He is flying back home this evening. No surgery scheduled yet, but it will be needed.
He has overcome 2 ACL tears in his left knee, and this is his first in his right.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 16, 2022