Two champions were scheduled to compete at UFC 296, but a third couldn’t resist getting his hands on his upcoming opponent earlier than expected.
Middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland brawled with his upcoming UFC 297 challenger Dricus Du Plessis, who was sat two rows behind him cageside during the pay-per-view broadcast. Tensions began boiling at the UFC’s seasonal press conference a day prior, when harsh insults and personal attacks were traded.
UFC CEO Dana White took responsibility after the fact for sitting the two men so closely to each other.
