Brian Kelleher to walkout with Ukraine flag for UFC 272 bout

Brian Kelleher has announced that he’s going to walk out with the flag of Ukraine for his next fight. Earlier this week, Russia invaded Ukraine and sparked protests and outrage across the entire international community.

‘Boom Boom’ is set to face Umar Nurmagomedov next week at UFC 272. The buildup to the fight has been quite entertaining, as both have talked trash on social media. Kelleher has even asked Conor McGregor to corner him in his fight against Nurmagomedov. A nod to ‘The Notorious’ rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Now, Brian Kelleher has added a new wrinkle to his fight next week at UFC 272. The MMA veteran took to Twitter to announce that he’s going to walk out with the flag of Ukraine for his bout against the Russian. The gesture is a sign of support for Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion of the country.

https://twitter.com/brianboom135/status/1497225562707869704?s=20&t=eOa44c6ZE7OzGGE_paNZmA

Brian Kelleher is far from the only athlete to take the stand against the invasion. Other UFC fighters have voiced support for the country of Ukraine on social media. Boxers such as Oleksandr Usyk have also taken to the internet to protest against the ongoing Russian interference.

However, there are few stories that are sure to be bigger than yesterday’s news that the legendary Klitschko brothers are going to be fighting in the Ukraine army. Both of the legendary heavyweight champions have enrolled in the reserve armed forces in order to protect their homeland.

As of now, Brian Kelleher is the only UFC fighter to say they’re going to represent Ukraine in their upcoming bouts. However, based on social media, there’s sure to be more love from competing athletes in the coming events.

What do you make of Brian Kelleher representing Ukraine for his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov? Who are you picking in their UFC 272 bantamweight showdown?