Men Are Paying to Look Like MMA Fighters

A bizarre trend in the plastic surgery world has taken hold in recent years and men are showing a desire to look like they have gone 12 rounds with a boxer or UFC fighter.

There is nothing wrong with people wanting to change their appearance and social media have become an issue regarding self-confidence. One doom scroll on TikTok or Instagram can take males and females down a rabbit hole of content about improving their looks in all kinds of ways.

‘Turkey teeth’ has become a phrase synonymous with veneers and is just one of many cosmetic surgeries individuals are turning to. While some men are heading to Turkiye or Harley Street for new pearly whites or a hair transplant, there are others in Russia specifically who are taking inspiration from the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Russians Queue Up For Cauliflower Ear

Image: ChatGPT

The term ‘cauliflower ear’ is one coined in the combat sports world when a fighter unintentionally wears the wounds of war via their ears. A boxing bout can often lead to blunt force trauma or repeated friction cutting off blood flow to the cartilage of the ear.

The result is an ear that looks lumpy, deformed and asymmetrical, hence its cauliflower-like appearance. While there are many who head to a boxing ring who likely fear their ears ending up in this state, there are some Russian men who are paying to have their ears delibaretly deformed.

Russian Telegram channel Baza reports that there are now “whole queues for this extravagant deformation” and that one ear-breaking technican informed them that bookings are filled “a month in advance.” Clients intend to look like MMA fighters and “instill fear in people.”

The price for this ‘beauty upgrade” is around 6,000 rubles per ear which would set a UK customer back £53.51. Otolaryngologist Marat Gasanov warned against the procedure, telling the outlet:

“This type of body modification can lead to hearing loss, cartilage inflammation, and potential purulent infections that progress within hematomas.”

The procedure involves a “proprietary” method in which the ears are squeezed until they fracture. Clients are said to be given the option to choose the “intensity” and exact fracture spot.

‘Everybody Wants It’ – Athletes on Cauliflower Ear

While Russian men seem keen on sporting cauliflower ears, those who have ended up with the deformity have spoken out against it. A report from ESPN back in September 2013 revealed that it is essentially a choice for those who opt not to wear protective headgear during practice and in bouts.

Doctors claim that without headgear, you risk having “strange-looking ears for the rest of your life.” And one of the many combat sports athletes who know all about this is Randy Couture, a UFC legend who made his feelings clear:

Cael Sanderson won an Olympic gold medal with the USA back in 2004 and the wrestler would be equally bemused by the new craze: “It’s ugly and painful, but everybody wants it. There’s this idea that it puts you in a secret society of tough guys and top fighters. Most of the guys I know would do anything to have it.”

Cauliflower ear doesn’t go away on its own, and it needs surgery to be corrected. This is because if the pooled blood isn’t drained immediately, the damaged cartilage dies and eventually the ear will have a permanent texture akin to the vegetable.