Merab Dvalishvili`s entry to the octagon for the main event of UFC 316 was nearly disastrous when a barrier gave way, causing fans to fall towards him.
Held on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, UFC 316 featured two title fights at the top of the card, with Dvalishvili scheduled to face Sean O`Malley for the bantamweight title.
Barrier Collapse Sends Fans Onto Walkway During Dvalishvili`s Entrance
Interestingly, for this fight, O`Malley changed his usual walkout music and reverted to his natural hair color after years of colorful styles.
However, it was the Georgian fighter`s walkout that experienced the frightening moment. As Merab emerged, a barrier separating fans from the walkway collapsed, leading to spectators falling towards the ground and the path.
Security personnel quickly surrounded the champion to protect him from the collapsing crowd.
Fortunately, Merab Dvalishvili emerged from the chaotic scene unscathed and proceeded to the Octagon for his championship bout.
Not everyone was as lucky; a cameraman was also reportedly caught in the fall and went down.
Previous Incident: Barrier Collapse at UFC 289
This isn`t the first time such an incident has occurred. At UFC 289 in 2023, fans fell from a height during Mike Mallot`s walkout due to a barrier failure.
Thankfully, no fans were reported seriously hurt in that instance either, and Mallot continued with his fight.
Jack Thornley