Merab Dvalishvili narrowly avoided catastrophe during his UFC 316 main event walkout as fans fell on him after a barrier collapsed underneath them.
On Saturday, the UFC returned to Newark, New Jersey for UFC 316 with a title fight double header in the main and co-main event.
In the main event, Merab Dvalishvili looked to defend his bantamweight title against Sean O’Malley after winning the title off him last September on the historic UFC 306 card.
However, ‘The Machine’s’ walkout almost ended in catastrophe as fans spilled into the walkway after near disaster.
Fans spill into walkway during Dvalishvili’s UFC 316 walkout
Having made several changes to his fight camp this time around, ‘Suga’ surprised fans when he walked out to new walkout music, different to his usual walkout.
Not only that, but for the first time in several years, O’Malley came in with his natural hair color, opposed to his usual rainbow color hairstyle.
However, it was the Georgian’s walkout that nearly ended in disaster as fans in attendance spilled onto the walkway as Merab emerged from backstage, as security quickly piled around the champion to make sure he didn’t get caught in the disaster.
A barrier that separated fans from the fighters during the walkout collapsed, which resulted in the spilling onto the floor in a grim scene.
Fortunately, Merab came away from the situation unscathed and went on to make his way into the Octagon for his title defense.
The same can’t be said for one of the cameramen, though, who also fell to the ground and got caught in the disaster.
UFC 289 saw a similar disaster as barrier collapsed underneath fans
This isn’t the first time fans have been put into danger after a barrier collapsed underneath them, as at UFC 289 in 2023, fans fell from a height during Mike Mallot’s walkout, spilling onto the ground.
Later on the broadcast, it was announced that thankfully no fans were hurt during the disaster, and Mallot went on to win his fight.