After 14 Years, UFC Babysitter to the Stars, Burt Watson, Steps Aside

After 14 years, the echo of “We rollin'!” will not come crashing off the backstage walls at UFC events.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's longtime production manager, Burt Watson, has decided to call it a day. After speculation arose about his status with the organization over the UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano weekend, Watson posted his farewell on Twitter on Tuesday.

There was speculation that there had been a backstage blow-up between Watson and another UFC employee that lead to him leaving before the weekend was over, but he made no comment on such matters and neither has the UFC.

“After 14 AMAZING YEARS I've decided to step aside,” Watson wrote.

Fans will know Watson as the man who took the UFC weigh-in stage before Joe Rogan, Dana White, the Octagon girls, and the fighters came out for the official festivities. At the top of his lungs, Watson would get fans fired up with his famous phrase, “We're gonna get buckwild up in here… Baby!”

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That was just a small taste of the motivation that Watson provided fighters, many of whom expressed their well wishes on Twitter after he made the announcement.

Watson always saw it as the critical part of his job to make sure the fighters had as little as possible to worry about as fight time neared. He helped coordinate getting them from here to there and back, made sure they were checking their weight, had their necessary gear, and workout assignments, but most of all, he made sure the fighters were amped up and ready to make that long walk to the Octagon.

It's the end of an era at the UFC, but there always comes a day when things change, and that day is now for Burt Watson.

“He's rollin' …. Baby!”

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