Overview
- Canada’s Mike Malott had his flag taken by an official as he tried to celebrate in the Octagon after stopping Gilbert Burns in Winnipeg.
- Malott later said he was shocked and had planned to hoist the flag as he did after a prior win in Montreal.
- Manager Daniel Rubenstein said flags are allowed on walkouts but barred inside the cage because they can block sponsor logos on the canvas and posts.
- The UFC’s blanket flag ban from 2022 was lifted in October 2023 when CEO Dana White said flags had returned.
- Farid Basharat has said the promotion still blocks Afghanistan’s flag due to uncertainty over which version it recognizes.