UFC hall-of-famer Don Frye was in attendance at UFC 270 this past Saturday night and it seems the long-since retired star still likes to let his fists fly at the drop of a hat.
Video footage shows the 56-year-old Frye engaged in an argument with two fans, with a security guard also appearing to step in to find out what was happening, before the UFC pioneer suddenly unleashes a jab that sends one of the fans staggering backwards clutching his face.
Frye later told TMZ Sports that the fan drunkenly bumped into his hat, leading to the verbal confrontation, at which point Frye claims the man challenged him to a fight and was promptly punched in the face for his troubles.
Frye wasn’t arrested for the scuffle and instead remained in the arena to watch the rest of the event.
Frye was a star in the early days of the UFC, winning UFC 8, finishing as the runner-up at UFC 10 and then emerging victorious in the Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournament, beating the likes of Tank Abbott, Gary Goodridge and Mark Hall along the way.
After leaving the UFC, Frye joined the PRIDE promotion, beating fighters like Ken Shamrock, Gilbert Yvel and Yoshihiro Takayama.
Frye eventually retired from the sport in 2011 with an overall 20-9-1 (+1nc) record. He’s suffered health issues in the year since, including being placed in a medically-induced coma for a couple of months in 2016 after breaking a titanium rod in his back from a previous surgery, then suffering a brain hemmorrhage, pneumonia and a spinal infection.
Despite all that, judging by this latest incident he’s still not somebody you want to mess with under any circumstances!
