Mike Malott’s first UFC main event ended with a third-round TKO over Gilbert Burns, but the Canadian welterweight says he was prevented from celebrating the way he had envisioned inside the octagon.
The bout took place at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, where Malott attempted to lift a Canadian flag in the cage after the victory. According to Malott, the flag was taken from him as he tried to raise it.
"So, (this time) I skipped the first process, and jumped up to go grab the flag, and as I'm pulling it up, he snatched it out of my hand – and he did it all sh*tty too, where he snatched it and like looked at me (angrily). I was like, what the hell, man? No. 1, don't try and be a tough guy to me. I just fought in a cage. What are you doing? And then, No. 2, I don't understand what the rule is that I couldn't have that flag. I walked out with it," Malott said.
Manager Daniel Rubenstein later stated, "They are allowed to walk out with flags, they don't allow them to display the flags in the octagon because it blocks the sponsors logos that paid to be on the canvas and octagon posts."
Malott contrasted the incident with his previous experience at UFC 315 in Montreal, where he was able to celebrate with the Canadian flag after negotiating with officials. "I spent eight weeks visualizing to re-enact that (moment in Montreal)," he said, adding, "I enjoy getting to hoist the flag. I'm proud to be Canadian... Not the end of the world, but would have been cool to be able to hoist it."
