How do you get cauliflower ears? MMA surgeon explains the phenomenon

Over the past couple of decades, MMA has ventured into the realm of mainstream sporting content consumed by viewers. As fighters become household names and famous social media personalities, many fans have noticed them sporting unusually shaped ears. This condition is called 'Cauliflower Ears' and is common among combat sports athletes worldwide.

Also known as 'perichondrial hematomas', cauliflower ears are generally caused by repeated blunt-force trauma to the side of the head, which causes blood clots that lead to swelling. These blood clots cause tissue damage, leading to ears having a lumpy appearance resembling a cauliflower.

Dr. David Abbasi, a renowned MMA surgeon, recently broke down the process of how one gets a cauliflower ear and why it's crucial to "drain" the affected ear as soon as possible. In a video uploaded to Twitter, Dr. Abbasi reacted to a video of an athlete getting his ear "drained" and explained:

"This is an example of draining a cauliflower ear. Now this usually occurs in grappling sports like wrestling and jiu-jitsu when trauma to the ear causes the skin and blood supply to separate from the cartilage. If you don't drain it right away, it can scar up and harden."

Check out the video below:

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How do you get cauliflower ear? MMA veteran's thoughts on being asked about his ears constantly

While professional MMA fighters usually consider their cauliflower ears as battle scars meant to be shown off with pride, many fighters have expressed their irritation at being constantly nagged and questioned about their condition. One such fighter is none other than former middleweight champion Michael Bisping.

Despite retiring from MMA five years ago, the 43-year-old Englishman still proudly sports his cauliflower ears. Undoubtedly a result of his countless wars in the octagon, his ears may be a reminder of his fighting merit.

Nevertheless, it seems 'The Count' is still annoyed by the "what happened to your ears?" question.

On an episode of the Believe You Me Podcast, Michael Bisping vented his frustration at being constantly asked about his cauliflower ears in public by women to his co-host Anthony Smith:

"Do you get that with cauliflower ears? 'What happened to your ears? Why are they like that?' ... And I say, 'Well... When I was a baby, there was a house fire and kind of the side of my face got all melted...' They go, 'Oh my god, are you serious, that's awful.' No I'm not f***ing serious, the fu** are you talking about? Fu** off. Mind your own business."

Watch the video below: