‘The thrill & the agony’ could not describe Michael Chiesa’s night in Las Vegas any better.
Chiesa Reacts
The UFC Welterweight would have all of the emotions on Saturday night at UFC 269. Chiesa attended the star-studded event, sitting next to big names like Miesha Tate and Aljamain Sterling. He would have some of the best seats in the house, but not even these front-row tickets wouldn’t be enough for Chiesa, come the co-main event.
In the first title fight of the night, Chiesa’s teammate Julianna Pena would shock the world, finishing Amanda Nunes in round 2. The end would come when Pena tapped out Nunes, after she stunned the champ on the feet. The crowd in Las Vegas went wild. The energy was like nothing ever seen before.
For Chiesa, he literally couldn’t contain his excitement for his longtime teammate and friend. ‘Maverick’ would jump over a barrier close to where all of the fighters were seated as he looked to enter the cage somehow. Chiesa would run rapidly towards the Octagon, looking to congratulate his teammate, Pena.
Rushing In
This wouldn’t be the best idea for the fighter.
Chiesa tried to jump the Octagon but was unsuccessful in his attempt. He would fall on his face, busting up his eye. Things only got worse from here as law enforcement got involved in the situation. They wouldn’t let the fighter get inside the cage on his night off.
White’s Thoughts
UFC boss Dana White had all the details about the incident.
“How do I say this without embarrassing the guy,” White said. “He had a little bit too much to drink this evening. When she won, he freaked out and tried to jump into the octagon and fell down on his face, cut his eye and busted his eye open, then was arguing with the police that he needed to get into the octagon and be with her, because that’s his teammate.
“[The police] dragged him out, got him outside and calmed him down in the back, and I went back and talked to him for a minute, and we’re all good.”
Security would escort Chiesa out of the T-Mobile Arena following his run towards the cage.
Chiesa’s initial reaction (among others) to Pena’s show-stopping win would be captured by ESPN.
ABSOLUTE CHAOS AND FANFARE AFTER PEÑA WON 😱 #UFC269 pic.twitter.com/e0dNAdKBkn
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 12, 2021
Pena and Chiesa have been known to show each support inside and out of the cage. The trend continued on Saturday, but went up a level in overall hype.