• Warning: This post contains gruesome images of an MMA injury.
• Alistair Overeem was hit with a punch so hard it burst a hole in his face.
• The heavyweight was winning every round of his UFC fight in Washington, DC, but then lost by knockout in the final seconds.
• His opponent Jairzinho Rozenstruik hit him with an overhand right that left his lip in need of medical attention and stitches.
• Overeem said after the fight that the stoppage was early and that he could have continued.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Heavyweight Alistair Overeem had been winning every round of his UFC fight until he got hit with a punch so hard it left his lip hanging off his face, and lost by knockout.

If the heavyweight fight at the UFC on ESPN 7 event in Washington DC on Saturday ended five seconds sooner, Overeem would have claimed a victory on the judges' scorecards. ESPN said at the time that he was leading four rounds to zero.

But, with four seconds to go, everything changed. His opponent, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, hit him with a punch so hard it dropped Overeem to the floor, burst a massive hole in his lip, and left him in need or medical attention.

The referee rewarded Rozenstruik with a knockout win.

Look at the photographs of the injury below. Warning: They are not for the faint-hearted.

"Getting stitched up," Overeem tweeted after the loss. "Lip not to [sic] sexy at the moment."

He added that he could have continued, and thinks the referee was quick to stop the fight. "A little bit of a fast stoppage if you ask me — but hope you guys enjoyed the fight."

—Alistair Overeem (@Alistairovereem) December 8, 2019

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