Dana White and the promotion are back in Las Vegas this week for another installment of the Vegas series, bringing fans to the Meta Apex. But ahead of his UFC Vegas 115 headliner against Renato Moicano, UFC lightweight Chris Duncan recently spoke out against the UFC for an unusual policy.

The unranked Scottish fighter wanted to wear tartan shorts—the iconic, crisscrossed pattern synonymous with Scottish heritage—to represent his Scottish heritage. The event carries special significance for him, as he will showcase his Scottish flag for the first time in a headliner bout. However, the UFC’s current rules restrict him to a few color options.

Duncan also revealed at the pre-fight press conference that the UFC requires a fighter to change their flag if they want to change the color of their shorts.

“One of my favorite things of growing up in Scotland would obviously be the scenery and the kind of patriotic symbols that we have, like the bagpipes… The UFC doesn’t allow you to change your shorts unless you change your country to match the color. I wanted a different color maybe two camps ago.

I was like, I’m not changing my flag. Why would somebody do that? You’re supposed to be representing your country. I’m Scottish, so I’m going to have to deal with the black, the white, or the blue shorts. But if Dana White watches this, I’ve got a little bit of a design for my shorts–I want tartan shorts.”

Like many UFC policies, such as how it determines “intentional” eye pokes, the shorts policy does not align with the public. However, it consistently requires fighters to wear shorts matching their country and flag, as we have seen with fighters like Ilia Topuria (red and white) and Islam Makhachev (white and black).

Duncan does not stand alone in expressing frustration with the UFC’s shorts policy. Earlier this year, UFC featherweight star Dan Ige also criticized U.S. fighter gear regulations. For U.S. events, the UFC requires fighters to wear shorts representing the U.S.A., limited to the colors black, white, or blue.

Ige, however, wanted to wear red shorts, which he had worn many times earlier in his UFC career. Interestingly, the U.S.A. flag also includes red, but the UFC initially blocked that option. After discussions, Dana White and the promotion eventually approved Ige’s request to wear red shorts.

Beyond the strict shorts rules, the UFC also occasionally rewards fighters with custom shorts options. For example, recently, the promotion gave fighters like Israel Adesanya, Jon Jones, and even Max Holloway special shorts as gifts.

However, to reach that level, ‘The Problem’ must first earn the status through his star power and performance before he can incorporate tartan into his shorts.

Interestingly, it’s also worth noting how the UFC handles Duncan’s requests. More importantly, Duncan aims to make a major impact in his upcoming fight for his mother.

Chris Duncan fights to honor his mother’s memory

Every fighter has a story about how they ended up in the cage or ring, but Duncan stands out with an especially emotional and heartbreaking journey. He lost his mother, Eline, in 2014, on the very day of his first fight weigh-in, and her death has left a lasting impact on him. He now wants to honor her memory by beating former title challenger Renato Moicano.

“It’s good to now share with people who’ve lost their moms or gone through similar instances,” Duncan said (source: CBS Sports). “I’m giving her memories. We have only memories because we don’t have much hard evidence. Giving her a shoutout gives her a memory and gives me something to work for.”

Duncan’s decade-long dedication has led him from a 17-fight journey to the UFC, which he joined via DWCS in 2021. Now, he faces his biggest test yet against Moicano, where a victory could launch him into the top 15 rankings.

Now, the fight clock is ticking as Duncan prepares to face Moicano. So, who do you think will come out on top this weekend at UFC Vegas 115? Drop your take below.