UFC light-heavyweight Johnny Walker has explained the promotion's reason for kicking him out of the T-Mobile Arena after his win last weekend.
Walker, 30, ended a two-fight losing skid when he submitted Ion Cutelaba in the opening fight of the UFC 279 main card in Las Vegas. The Brazilian's celebrations were soon cut short as he found himself out in the streets whilst still wearing his fight gear, with his coach John Kavanagh claiming: "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, not even [got] shoes on."
Kavanagh, who is also the coach of global superstar Conor McGregor, ended up forgiving the UFC for booting them out when Walker was gifted a $50,000 performance bonus for his win. Walker said he was told by UFC officials that there wasn't enough seats in the arena to host him after his win, which is why he and his coaches were booted out.
"I didn't have the time to dress me up, it happened so quickly," he told Helen Yee. "I was very hyped after the win, then I went to check with the doctor, I hurt my foot a little bit. I started doing interviews, taking pictures. I saw the big tent with all the media and did a couple of interviews. I was following a UFC girl who put me in the right spot to do the interviews, and I said to her, 'All set, can I come back to the arena my fiancee is there watching' and she said 'no'.
Walker said that he didn't mind not being cageside for the remaining fights, but he wanted to stay in the venue as it was cold outside. "She tried to talk to somebody to see what was going on but she said I needed tickets to come back to the arena, because I don't think they had space to sit in any seats. They just kicked me out to the hotel and that's what you see in video, I was with my coach and everybody back there," he added.
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After starting off his UFC career with a string of knockout wins, Walker had lost four of his last five fights heading into clash against knockout artist Cutelaba. The win and $50,000 performance has helped Walker fund his upcoming wedding with fiancee Tara Campbell, as he stated: "It's going to be a big day for us. The bonus is going to help us loads because getting married in Ireland is expensive! I'm really happy."
