ABU DHABI – The cageside doctor at UFC 294 was “inexperienced,” according to Dana White, which the UFC CEO attributed as the primary reason for his questionable decision making during Saturday’s event at Etihad Arena.
Perhaps the most bizarre moment of a card filled with fouls came during the featured bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker. After Ankalaev (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) hit a grounded Walker (21-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) with an illegal knee to the face in Round 1, referee Dan Movahedi called timeout and brought in the cageside doctor, who hasn’t been identified, to examine Walker.
The exchanges between Walker and the doctor weren’t clearly captured on the broadcast, but according to UFC roving reporter Megan Olivi, Walker’s coach, John Kavanagh, said his fighter was asked what country he was in. To which Walker responded with “the desert.”
