UFC 269: Dana White explains why Michael Chiesa was dragged away by police after Julianna Pena win
- UFC president says welterweight ‘had a little too much to drink’ and ‘freaked out’ after Amanda Nunes tapped out in second round
- Chiesa hopped the guard rail to celebrate with his teammate Pena but was stopped by police officers at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
UFC president Dana White shed some light on why a bloodied Michael Chiesa was dragged away by police after Saturday night’s co-main event at the T-Mobile.
A video captured cageside at the T-Mobile in the immediate aftermath of Pena’s win showed a stunned front row of fighters, with Chiesa hopping the guard rail.
The No 9-ranked welterweight was later taken away by police with injuries to his face, and rumours circulated that he had been involved in a cageside altercation.
“No, no, no – he did not get in a fight,” White explained at the post-event press conference in Las Vegas, when asked about the incident.
“Let me say this without embarrassing this guy: he had a little bit too much to drink this evening, and when [Pena] won, he freaked out and tried to jump into the Octagon and fell down on his face, caught his eye and busted his eye open.
“Then he was arguing with the police that he needed to get into the Octagon to be with her, because that’s his teammate.