Manager details scary UFC bus attack by pro-Palestinian protestors in New York: “Robbie had probably one of the most Robbie Lawler moments”

A bus carrying multiple UFC fighters, including Robbie Lawler and Jamahal Hill, was attacked by pro-Palestinian protestors Friday night in New York.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will of course be hosting their UFC 295 pay-per-view event later this evening at Madison Square Garden.

In addition to the combatants slated to compete on the card, a number of fellow and former UFC fighters have made the trip to New York to participate in the festivities.

Among the non-fighting participants were former UFC champions Jamahal Hill and Robbie Lawler, as well as perennial bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen.

The three UFC stars were on a bus with MMA manager Brian Butler and others yesterday evening when they found themselves in the midst of a pro-Palestinian protest as they approached the intersection of W 41st St. and 7th Ave.

According to Butler, the group was leaving a UFC fan event at a nearby nightclub when their shuttle became surrounded by angry protestors.

“We saw the parade of people coming and we saw all these flags, then we were like, ‘Oh, man. We’re about to get stuck in this,’” Butler told MMA Junkie. “People were saying, ‘Go, step on the gas. Step on the gas.’ People started trickling over because we were at the very front. I think they were curious because it was a big Sprinter van, so they started coming up and putting their signs and stuff up on the window. Then they got a look inside and they could see it was UFC security in there, and they were like, ‘Oh, UFC people.’ Then they started saying stuff like, you know, just mob mentality stuff. Nothing other than that sheer energy that was going on. It was like, ‘UFC people are bitches,’ UFC people are this and that.”

The situation quickly escalated involving the protestors slashing the tires and breaking the windows of the shuttle carrying Robbie Lawler and the other UFC alumni.

“Then that kind of infuriated Jamahal. Jamahal started seeing red, so it was an issue trying to get him calmed down. But it started escalating pretty quickly. … It went from zero to having the whole vehicle surrounded and banging on it. The windows started breaking, and then Jamahal said he saw someone pull out a knife and they slashed all our tires. It could have been a very bad situation, but it ended well. I do have to say that the UFC security and staff was on point. The people that were on the bus with us were calling for backup.”

It was at this time that Butler witnessed Robbie Lawler share the following words of wisdom for Jamahal Hill:

“Robbie had probably one of the most Robbie Lawler moments. He was just saying, ‘Conserve your energy. If these doors open, we’re going to need every ounce of it.’ It was very Robbie, because he was just sitting there still. Meanwhile, on the other end of the van, Jamahal is getting very irritated with people. Once Jamahal calmed down, everything was good.”

 

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Butler concluded with the following sentiments:

“It was a very crazy situation. I think it was handled by everybody on the buses as well as could be done.”