UFC flyweight Priscila Cachoeira has denied gauging opponent Gillian Robertson's eye in their fight at UFC 269.
Cachoeira was submitted by Robertson in the opening fight of the pay-per-view event in Las Vegas last weekend.
The Brazilian, who was the only fighter on the card to miss weight, appeared to try atond gouge Robertson's eye whilst fighting out of a rear-naked choke in the first round.
Cachoeira was forced to tap with one second left in the session and her eye gouges drew criticism from UFC commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier.
But the fighter nicknamed 'Pedrita' claims she aiming to push Robertson's neck when she poked her eye.
“It wasn’t my intention to [gouge] her eye when she was on my back, I didn’t know it was going in the direction of her eye,” Cachoeira told MMA Fighting.
“My intention was to go for her neck and push it. That was my intention, but I was desperate, almost snoring, and it’s a matter of survival, right? I want to get it off. But it wasn’t my intention to hit her eyes. Never.
“I’m a professional and I’ve already apologised to her in person and via Instagram, and she was super cool. Critics will come, right? There’s no other way. I’ll wait for the dust to settle and work to come back stronger.”
Some fans called for Cachoeira - who has lost four of her last six fights - to be released from the promotion for the incident and missing weight, but she has promised to correct her mistakes.
“I’ll fix my mistakes. I apologise once again for what happened. It won’t happen again. It was a matter of survival, right? But I didn’t know I was gouging her eyes," she continued.
"She was on my back, how would I know? If I had to suffer any punishment it would come at that moment."
What did you make of Priscila Cachoeria's eye gouge at UFC 269? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below
Robertson snapped a two-fight losing skid with the win and broke the record for most submissions in the UFC women's flyweight division.
The talented grappler said despite Cachoeria's eye gouge she holds no ill will towards Cachoeria and was only frustrated after she weighed in heavy for the fight.
"She was probably in a moment of desperation, didn’t really have a defence, so her defence was her eye gouge," she said after the fight.
"I don’t necessarily have any hard feelings towards her for that or professionally. Like I said, it’s not great to miss weight, but other than that, it is what it is."
