Johnny Walker was told to keep walking.
The UFC fighter was told to leave T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, according to his coach John Kavanagh, while the 30-year-old was still barefoot and wearing his gloves after defeating Ion Cutelaba in a light heavyweight bout to open the UFC 279 main card.
“So @ufc just came and kicked us out. No tickets for us and not allowed stay back stage to watch. Pulled out back door, kicked out, no even shoes on,” Kavanagh wrote on Twitter, along with a photo of a shirtless, shoeless Walker.
Warning: Graphic language
UFC president Dana White addressed the situation during a press conference after the pay-per-view.
“I guess ever since COVID, they started this thing where they get the fighters right out of here. I don’t know why that happened or what happened,” White said. “I mean, we’re not throwing Johnny Walker out in the street shoeless, I’m sure.”
Informed there was a photo of Walker outside without shoes on, White said, “So we f–kin threw him right out on the streets, huh? It’s rough around here. I don’t know.”
Kavanagh, who also coaches Conor McGregor, seemed happier Sunday morning after Walker received a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
“All is forgiven @ufc, you can boot us out anytime,” Kavanagh wrote on Twitter.