Zach Bryan can’t seem to go a month without reminding the world why he wasn’t exactly a great boyfriend to Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia. Their breakup was a very public hot mess, and now, somehow, UFC fighter David Onama has found himself caught in the splash zone. One has to wonder—when does a country singer go from serenading on stages to being at odds with MMA fighters?
In case you’ve managed to scrub it from your memory, here’s a refresher. Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry were in a committed relationship. They owned a home together, with tentative plans to bring children into the mix someday. Bryan publicly announced on social media that they were ending their relationship… but apparently forgot to mention that to LaPaglia first. He even offered her a hefty sum of money to keep quiet about what she endured during their time together. She said, “Nah,” and instead laid bare the emotional abuse and verbal threats she experienced during her tenure as his girlfriend. Her buddy, Dave Portnoy, took offense to this and penned an epic little roast of the country singer. It went viral, and Bryan was none too pleased.
Then, in an ill-advised move, Bryan decided it was time to clap back. He paid David Onama to give him a shoutout during a match that he knew LaPaglia would be attending.
Turns out, one simply doesn’t f_ck around with UFC fighters outside of the ring. Bryan is now facing backlash not only from Barstool and Chickenfry, but also from random UFC fans. As for Onama, he was quick to clarify that he only participated in the shoutout for his teammates’ benefit—not because he’s on Team Zach Bryan. This particular social fumble is doing nothing to repair Bryan’s golden boy image. After all, breakup songs hit differently when you’re the bad guy.
Dave Portnoy has once again resumed his role as Chief Zach Bryan Roaster, publicly siding with Brianna Chickenfry and reiterating his opinion that Bryan is “the smallest man.” Portnoy is delivering some strong “find out” energy, and his blunt style seems to be resonating with a public that’s thoroughly burnt out on Bryan’s antics. It seems Bryan underestimated the power and loyalty of Barstool Nation because they’re certainly showing up to rally around Chickenfry.
As for David Onama? He’s fully uninterested in the drama. Why would he waste time helping a country singer fight for his reputation when he’s busy fighting actual humans in the octagon? Bryan did this to himself, and now he’s learning—again—that messing with Barstool is its own kind of battle. If Zach Bryan wants a shoutout, maybe he should focus more on making sure his actions are actually shout-worthy.
