MMA fans called for the former UFC star to retire after seeing the gruesome footage

UFC veteran Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira was on the receiving end of a brutal knockout loss in his bare-knuckle boxing debut.

And he was seemingly left with a HORRIFIC broken nose just moments into the gruesome bout.

Former UFC star Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira made his bare-knuckle boxing debut last weekendCredit: REN TV

The 36-year-old suffered a brutal first-round knockout lossCredit: REN TV

‘Cowboy’ seemingly tried to realign his nose after being sent hurtling to the canvasCredit: REN TV

The former UFC welterweight made his bare-knuckle bow at REN TV Fight Club’s latest event in Russia last weekend.

But his showdown with Igor Ionov didn’t go to plan as he was knocked down twice in the first round on his way to a TKO loss.

A lethal looping left hook sent the Brazilian to the canvas for the second time and left him in searing pain.

Oliveira proceeded to grab his seemingly broken nose and attempt to put it back in place before rolling to his knees and shaking his head.

The referee decided he’d seen enough and mercifully waved off the contest.

Footage of the dad-of-ELEVEN’s brutal defeat went viral on social media and MMA fans couldn’t help but comment.

One stunned fight fan wrote on X: “Yikes.”

Another said: “Bare knuckle is not kind.”

Alex Oliveira left the Ultimate Fighting Championship in April 2022Credit: GETTY

And another said: “Aww that hurts to watch.”

One chimed in: “Bare-knuckle hits different.”

Another remarked: “Bare-knuckle boxing [is] really some barbarian s**t lol.”

A slew of concerned fans also chimed in with calls for the 36-year-old to call time on his career.

One said: “Someone [please] force Alex Oliveira to retire.”

Another said: “Hang ’em up, man.”

And another said: “He has to maintain so many kids that he’s now fighting in some obscure Russian bare-knuckle league.”