Israel Adesanya cried at a heated news conference ahead of his bout with middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia on Saturday.
South Africa's Du Plessis, 30, infuriated former champion Adesanya when he asked him if he would be taking the servants with him when he visits his native Nigeria and New Zealand next week.
Du Plessis' comments were in response to an interview Adesanya did this week with The Mac Life, where he mentioned having "maids" in the house when growing up.
The pair engaged in a heated exchange before Adesanya later shed a tear after spotting his family in the crowd.
"He touched a subject there because I do it for my family, I do it for the people I love. I'll fight for you forever, I swear to god," Adesanya said.
"Look, I am a human being, I am a man. I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time."
35-year-old Adesanya, fighting for the first time in 11 months having taken a break from the sport, had earlier responded angrily to the jibe from Du Plessis. "Shut up, you don't know anything about my story. You have no idea who I am," he said.
"My father, myself, had to wake up at 4am and clean the banks while my mum studied to be a nurse. Don't speak of my story if you don't know my story."