VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It appears disaster was averted Saturday night at UFC 289 after a rail collapsed at Rogers Arena.
The incident, which was caught on video and posted to social media, occurred at the start of Mike Malott’s walkout for his fight with Adam Fugitt. As is usual, fans crowded around the railing to cheer on Malott before he began his walk. Once his music started, the railing gave way, causing fans to fall on top of each other and onto the arena floor.
In a statement to MMA Junkie, Rogers Arena said “no serious injuries were reported.”
“The safety of our fans is our #1 priority at Rogers Arena,” the statement read. “At tonight’s UFC event, as fans leaned over to greet the fighters, a railing fell down. Our arena staff worked quickly to relocate fans in the affected area and no serious injuries were reported. Venue security and staff remained on-site throughout the rest of the evening to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Railing collapses #UFC289 pic.twitter.com/ffFaHdomfY
— Taner (@TanerFrank) June 11, 2023
The falling fans and railing just missed Malott, who went on to defeat Fugitt by second-round submission.
Rogers Arena’s official statement echoes what UFC president Dana White said when asked about the incident during the UFC 289 post-event news conference.
“The arena handled it immediately, roped it off, got security up there, moved people to better seats, and handled it like a bunch of pros.” White said.
The situation was ugly in the moment, but it could’ve been much worse.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.
