Fans at UFC 289 crashed to the floor during a fighter's walkout as a barricade in the crowd gave way.
The shocking moment happened when welterweight fighter Mike Malott was making his walk to the octagon to fight Adam Fugitt on the main card of the pay-per-view event that took place at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada.
Fans could be seen leaning over the barricade to cheer Malott on as he made the walk, but then a group of bystanders collapsed to the ground as several sections of the fencing gave way.
UFC commentator Jon Anik announced later on the broadcast that thankfully no one was hurt during the incident. Malott and Fugitt fight's proceeded without any issue as Malott went on to tap out his opponent in the second round to secure a $50,000 performance bonus. UFC boss Dana White later addressed the moment in his post-fight press conference interview.
"It was during his walkout and no, nobody was seriously hurt," White said. "There were a couple of minor injuries. The arena handled it immediately, roped it off and got security up there then moved people to better seats. They handled it like a bunch of pros. You guys have no idea of all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, but this played out the other side of the curtain."
A spokesperson for Rogers Arena released a statement to MMA Fighting about the incident that read: "The safety of our fans is our No. 1 priority at Rogers Arena. At tonight’s UFC event, as fans leaned over to greet the fighters, a railing fell down.
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"Our arena staff worked quickly to relocate fans in the affected area and no serious injuries were reported. Venue security and staff remained on-site throughout the rest of the evening to ensure everyone’s safety."
UFC commentator Megan Olivi was also amongst those who was walking out towards the octagon when the barricade collapsed. Olivi saw the funny side of the incident as she tweeted: "For anyone who saw me lose my shoes and almost eat concrete I hoped you laughed as much as I just did."
