Footage shared online shows the moment Chinese MMA fighter Li Jingliang had his country's flag ripped away from him by a UFC employee after the company enforced a flag ban in the Octagon.
The incident took place on Saturday (16 July), as Jingliang was celebrating his win over his Russian competitor Muslim Salikhov at UFC Long Island, where he had secured a knockout on the televised main card.
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In clips captured by members of the audience, Jingliang can be seen wearing the red China flag proudly across his back as he posed for photos after the fight. However, he didn't get to celebrate with it for long as a UFC official stormed into the ring and pulled the flag from the fighter's shoulders.
Jingliang appeared to be trying to get the flag back as he followed the official to the cage door, but it was quickly handed to someone on the floor while the fighter was blocked from leaving the Octagon.
The official's actions come after UFC president Dana White confirmed a ban on flags in May, when he was asked whether fighters had been restricted from carrying flags and responded: "Yeah. You guys know why. Let’s not even play that f**king game."
The ban covers fighters' walkouts to the cage, as well as their time in the Octagon and post-fight portraits, though Jingliang did manage to pose for a few pictures with the flag before it was taken away.
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Social media users and UFC fans had mixed responses to the removal of the flag, with some people supporting its removal while others disagreed with the ban.
One person wrote: "It’s a dumb policy when they are putting the fighter’s flag next to their names during fight walkouts and introductions."
Prior to facing Salikhov, Jingliang stressed a victory would mean a lot for UFC fans in China as the Russian fighter has been a 'big name' in the country and has beaten a number of 'legendary' Chinese fighters.
Speaking via an interpreter, he continued: “He basically owns all the Sanda awards, especially the 2008 Sanda exhibition fight. So the media has been broadcasting our fight in China because it’s very big in China, me vs. Muslim.”
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The fight ultimately came to an end in the second round, after which Jingliang said it was a 'pleasure' to have gone up against the Russian.
“I know him since I first trained in 2008. It was my pleasure to fight him. I couldn’t believe it," he said.
Jingliang currently ranks at #14 in the UFC welterweight ranking.
Emily Brown