AURICULAR HEMATOMA - JUNEBUGGED!

Submitted by June:


For Dustin and his "little brother".
Auricular Hematoma

Also known as....cauliflower ear!  It's practically an unavoidable nuisance for those training in mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and other contact sports.

I am very frequently asked...what causes cauliflower ear?  Well, it can happen after one severe blow to the ear or after the culmination of several.  It can also result when the ear constantly rubs and collides against the mats in jiu-jitsu and wrestling.

Basically, a blood clot develops between the skin and the cartilage of the ear. The cartilage, which depends on the outer lying skin for nutrients, may eventually die, folding in upon itself. The fluid hardens and causes the "cauliflower" look. 

For your viewing pleasure, I've compiled a list of what I consider to be the top 10 worst cauliflower ears.  If you're eating, you may want to skip this pictorial completely...particularly if you're having gyoza/potstickers for lunch!  (Or, um, cauliflower for that matter!)

10. Mark Coleman

9. James Thompson


8. Frank Trigg


7. Dan Henderson


6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira


5. Marius Zaromskis


4. Mitsuhiro Ishida


3. Chris Jack (Rugby Player)


2. Kazushi Sakuraba


1. Randy Couture

Honorable Mention:

Moe Szylslak

Did you know that in "The Simpsons" the bartender Moe has often mentioned his cauliflower ears? He used to be a boxer.  True story.

Cauliflower can best be prevented by wearing headgear and draining the swelling right away to prevent permanent damage. Although in the fight/grappling world, getting "cauli" ears may be considered by some to be a trophy or a rite of passage, it's harder to ear, uncomfortable--if not impossible--to put in Ipod headphones, and can be downright gross to potential girlfriends and employers. Just sayin'!

[Mahaloz June!]