UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich says he paid ‘the price of freedom’ after being axed as commentator for attending US Capitol riots

MMA coach Pat Miletich, who was the UFC's first welterweight champion, says that freedom is under threat in America after he was fired from his role with Legacy Fighting Alliance for attending last week's riots in Washington DC.

Miletich, 54, announced online late on Tuesday that the LFA, where he serves as a commentator, had terminated their relationship with him after it was confirmed that he was present at the unrest which led to a mob storming the US Capitol building. Five people lost their lives in the incident.

The Capitol riots have led to renewed impeachment proceedings against the man most were there to celebrate - Donald Trump - but Miletich says that he too has been unfairly treated for merely being present at the event.

"I just want to let you guys know that I just got a call from the folks at the LFA and they basically informed me that they were getting a lot of pressure because I was at the Capitol," he announced in an Instagram video.

"I want you guys to know that the people I walked with at the Capitol, none of them that I know of were involved in any of the violence.

"I walked with white people, black people, a lot of Chinese people who escaped communist China, who are for freedom. It was across the board - it was people of different races, religions.

"But the LFA was getting a lot of pressure and unfortunately they felt they needed to distance themselves from me - which, hey, I understand their position.

"I love all those guys, Ed [Soares] and Sven [Bean] and Mark [Bieri] and everybody, I love them.

"But the price of freedom is going to be heavy, guys. Me losing my job is part of the pain. Even the people that pressured the LFA to get rid of me, I’m doing my best to fight for your freedom."

A statement by the LFA said that Miletich has been removed from his duties ahead of their upcoming fight card on January 15 - but they say that they haven't made a permanent decision as to his future with the company, adding that they support Miletich's right to peacefully protest but were concerned by "photos of questionable nature" that they were made aware of online.

Despite mounting video evidence, Miletich had previously hit out at the media for their coverage of the US Capitol riots, saying that supporters of President Trump didn't cause any damage.

"The media is full of sh*t," he wrote in a since-deleted online post, according to MMAFighting.com.

"No Trump supporters ever caused violence and didn’t attack [law enforcement officers].

"I was at the front at the capital when the Proud Boys moved up to the [Capitol]. They absorbed grenades, tear gas and massive amounts of pepper spray and attacked nobody. F*ck the media."

In the week after the incident, numerous protestors have been arrested by authorities for their roles in the fracas - ranging from simple trespass to felony murder. 

The LFA is known as one of the primary feeder organizations into the UFC, and is broadcast via the UFC's streaming service 'Fight Pass'.