Ex-UFC fighter abandons cage during bout

Ex-UFC fighter Diego Brandao has been in good form recently, scoring a couple of wins in the Fight Nights Global series.

But controversy seems to follow the Brazilian, who was released by the UFC after being charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

The latest incident came during his bout with Akmed Aliev in Russia, the main event of FNG 73.

The referee intervened with just over a minute remaining in the second round, when Aliev headbutted Brandao, causing the Brazilian to respond with an illegal upkick to Aliev’s neck.

Brandao stood up and walked to the door of the cage, asking to be let out. As the fans started throwing rubbish into the arena, Brandao simply climbed over the cage wall and walked away.

“Please stay and fight, okay, please stay and fight,” the referee pleaded with Brandao, to no avail.

By the time Brandao finally returned to the cage, the referee had awarded Aliev victory by TKO.

"I'm so sorry for you,” the referee told Brandao after the official result was announced. “Why were you leaving the cage?”

It appears Brandao is doing all he can to ensure his first round loss to Conor McGregor isn’t the most memorable moment of his career!