The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to London on Saturday, March 16, and there were plenty of fireworks. Following the main event of UFC on ESPN+5, which featured welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Darren Till, a backstage brawl at The O2 Arena ensued.
Masvidal was being interviewed by Laura Sanko when Leon Edwards made a comment off-camera.
The comment caused Masvidal to walk away from the camera before coming face to face with Edwards. Punches were then thrown, and Edwards received a cut under his eye.
Masvidal later addressed the situation.
“One of these hooligans, man,” Masvidal said, as transcribed by MMA Fighting. “He’s like talking crap on social media. I seen him here [during fight week], doesn’t really address me as a man. I wanted to talk to him kind of and he’s just like dodging me. Whatever, we can handle it after the fight. So I’m doing this interview and this hooligan comes by saying some stuff, ‘July, get your ass kicked in July — July.’ And I go, ‘maybe.’ But whatever. Because maybe I want to kick your ass in April, maybe I don’t want to wait until July. Maybe I don’t even want to fight you in a prize ring, because you’re not worth a training camp. I’ll just fight you here. Because you’re a scrub.
“So I tell him, ‘Just say it to my face like a man.’ You’re saying it walking away. That’s not like — we’re both men, you know. And as I’m walking up to him, I’ve got my hands behind my back to signal I’m not coming here for problems. But he put his hands up like this — it’s on video — and walks towards me. Where I’m from, if you do that, you’re gonna punch me in the face and that’s not gonna happen. You’re a f*ckin’ dork, you’re jayvee, beta. You are what you are — you’re just a loser in life. You’re not gonna get a hit off me. So I gave him the three piece with the soda, then just glide out there.”
UFC on ESPN+5 Results
- Jorge Masvidal def. Darren Till via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 3:05
- Leon Edwards def. Gunnar Nelson via split decision (28-29, 29-27, 29-28)
- Dominick Reyes def. Volkan Oezdemir via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Nathaniel Wood def. Jose Quinonez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:46
- Claudio Silva def. Danny Roberts via verbal submission (armbar) – Round 3, 3:37
- Jack Marshman def. John Phillips via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Arnold Allen def. Jordan Rinaldi via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
- Marc Diakiese def. Joe Duffy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Saparbek Safarov def. Nico Negumereanu via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-26, 29-27)
- Dan Ige def. Danny Henry via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:17
- Molly McCann def. Priscila Cachoeira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-
- Mike Grundy def. Nad Narimani via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:42
