Brandon Royval opens up on Islam Makhachev-Nate Diaz scuffle at UFC 310, names who threw first bottle: "That is just the truth"
Brandon Royval recently shed light on the bottle-throwing incident at UFC 310 weighs-ins, where water bottles were exchanged between Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev’s teammates. Royval defended Diaz and offered insights into the entire altercation.
Diaz, renowned for his reputation for getting involved in brawls, attended the UFC 310 weigh-ins to support his teammate Kron Gracie. Meanwhile, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, Makhachev, was present after concluding his UFC 311 press conference. A brief exchange of words between Makhachev and the Stockton native quickly escalated into a bottle-throwing incident.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Royval was asked about the incident, as the flyweight fighter claimed it was Makhachev’s teammates, who threw the first bottle, not Diaz, as it appeared in the video.
Royval said:
“No, I know exactly who threw the water bottle. I turned around and [saw] it. It was the flyweight Russian kid [Tagir Ulanbekov]. Yes, he was the one who first threw the water bottle. Like I turned around and [saw] it. It flew past my f…ng head. These m…..ers, and then I am like, ‘Oh, they are throwing that at him’. Bad throw you know. It was the flyweight Russian kid. The video shows Nate throwing the first water bottle, but somebody didn’t record it because someone threw it at him first.”
Furthermore, the host pointed out that everyone seemed to be blaming Diaz for the incident. Royval, defending Diaz, dismissed the rumor that Diaz initiated the bottle fight. He said:
“F**k no, He [Diaz] doesn't give a sh*t to clear his name but that it just the truth he ain't the one who first three the water bottle.”
Check out Brandon Royval’s comments below:
Diaz last competed in the UFC against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in 2022 and has not stepped into the Octagon since. Meanwhile, Makhachev is scheduled to defend his lightweight title at UFC 311 against Arman Tsarukyan in January next year.
Dustin Poirier reacts to Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev's backstage altercation
The video of the altercation between Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev has gone viral, sparking reactions from fans and pundits alike. @ChampRDS reshared the clip, which caught Dustin Poirier's attention. Poirier reacted to the incident and took a jab at Diaz, commenting:
“Bring Nate back and let me smash him.”