McMillen and Rahiki clash in hotel elevator days before undefeated UFC featherweight showdown

Security intervened after Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki came face-to-face in a hotel elevator during fight week, days before their undefeated featherweight matchup at Noche UFC 4 on September 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

McMillen (11-0) described the encounter at the Noche UFC 4 media day, saying he stepped into the elevator with his brother and striking coach to find Rahiki accompanied by eight teammates. According to McMillen, the confrontation quickly escalated. “I got right in his face; he tried to touch me, I pushed him right out of my face,” McMillen said. “Security had to break it up. I don’t like that kid; he doesn’t like me.”

Footage of the altercation shows both fighters trading barbs and exchanging light shoves while officials worked to separate them. McMillen had previously stated publicly that he was prepared to fight Rahiki in a parking lot, and he doubled down on that sentiment after the elevator incident. “I kind of just punked him in the elevator with eight of his friends and showed him it’s not an act,” he said. “This kid’s not on the same level as me.”

The bad blood between the two 145-pound prospects has been building throughout the lead-up to fight week, with McMillen repeatedly questioning whether Rahiki’s aggression is genuine. Rahiki (9-0) has not yet publicly responded to McMillen’s account of the elevator confrontation.

Both fighters have been sharp finishers inside the octagon. McMillen has stopped 10 of his 11 career opponents, while Rahiki has never been taken to a judges’ scorecard across his nine professional wins, each side recording two finishes in their respective two UFC appearances.

The matchup is one of the more compelling prospects-on-prospects bouts on the Noche UFC 4 card, with both men’s unbeaten records on the line.