MMA Knockout

Dana White Gives Grief to UFC 294 Ringside Doctor: “I Think There’s a Big Language Barrier In There”

The UFC CEO discussed the controversial, anti-climatic finish involving Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker at UFC 294.

Zain Bando

Dana White Gives Grief to UFC 294 Ringside Doctor: “I Think There’s a Big Language Barrier In There”
Dana White Gives Grief to UFC 294 Ringside Doctor: “I Think There’s a Big Language Barrier In There” /

When something goes haywire in a UFC fight, UFC CEO Dana White is the first to point it out. Having seen his fair share of mishaps, White recalled the bizarre ending to the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker fight, which took place during the UFC 294 main card.

The fight had just begun, with both men throwing big shots and looking for a decisive finish. When both were up against the fence, Walker, who entered the fight 21-7 and had won his last three outings, took an illegal knee.

VIDEO: Islam Makhachev Finishes Alex Volkanovski With Sensational Head Kick At UFC 294

As Walker attempted to recover, the ringside physician came into the Octagon to check on him and ask if he was ready to fight.

According to White, who was also sitting ringside, a communication breakdown caused the fight to go south rather quickly, leaving more questions than answers by its conclusion, resulting in a no-contest.

"The guy's inexperienced," White said. "I think there's a lot of things that probably happened. I guess he asked [Walker], 'Where are you right now?' And his response was, 'I'm in the desert.' He's not wrong. I think there's a big language barrier in there between the two of them. Inexperience, and you know, it sucks. It's one of those things that happens sometimes, and we'll make it right and we'll fix it."

The bout was Ankalaev's first in almost a year, as he and Jan Błachowicz fought to a draw at UFC 282, adding to a string of bad luck for the light heavyweight contender and potential future title challenger.

The doctor in question was also involved in another mishap on the prelims, which resulted in Victor Henry getting transported to a nearby hospital for ultrasound testing. Those results have yet to be revealed at press time.

UFC 294 continues a newly signed four-year partnership with the UAE, with at least three regional events annually.

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.

Published
Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

Home/News