Country singer Zach Bryan received an unexpected shoutout during UFC 309, but it turns out the whole thing may have been staged as a way to get at his ex-girlfriend attending the event.
In one of the more bizarre stories coming out of the UFC’s latest trip to Madison Square Garden in New York City, featherweight competitor David Onama took time on the microphone following his win over Roberto Romero to say that he was planning on returning to the Big Apple to attend one of Bryan’s upcoming concerts.
“I want to come back here next month to watch — what’s it called? — Zach Bryan for the concert,” Onama shouted when speaking to UFC color commentator Joe Rogan (Bryan will actually perform at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next month).
It turns out Bryan’s ex-girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia was attending her first UFC event that night after a very public breakup with the country music star that has only gotten uglier and uglier in recent weeks. Bryan announced their breakup on his Instagram stories with LaPaglia addressing the end of their relationship on her Barstool podcast where she claimed he was manipulative and emotionally abusive.
LaPaglia’s co-host on her BFF podcast is none other than Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who erupted about the whole situation after hearing Onama reveal on a podcast that he didn’t even know who Bryan was when he was asked to give him a shoutout during his post-fight interview. Onama admitted on the podcast he is actually a Morgan Wallen fan.
“This small little 4-foot-8 f*cking psychopath is that pathetic and that lost where they got to beg UFC guys for a shout-out just to try to rub it in Bri’s face? Like Brianna gives a f*ck, we know you’re popular Zach. You don’t need to f*cking bribe people to say your name, you pathetic little man.
“We get you’re world famous. But everybody knows you’re a f*cking piece of shit loser and now we know how pathetic and small and f*cking low you are. By the way, it’s embarrassing. You look like the smallest man who ever lived.”
@stoolpresidente Zach Bryan begged a UFC fighter for a shoutout to make @Brianna LaPaglia ♬ original sound - Dave Portnoy
After the whole situation blew up Wednesday, Onama released a separate statement explaining why he shouted out Bryan in the first place following his win.
“Hey guys, feel like this is getting blown out of proportion,” Onama wrote on Twitter. “A promoter offered me comp tickets to one of Zach Bryan’s concerts if I made a shout out for his upcoming stadium shows. I did it because my teammates love Zach and Zach has always taken care of them when he played Denver.
“Zach did not reach out to me at all about this. Was simply supporting someone who always supported my team.”
— David A. Onama (@DavidOnama145) November 20, 2024
