Change of plans. Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker were set to take the stage together to perform “Papercuts” at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 12. However, while backstage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, something changed.
“Machine Gun Kelly buried himself in a grave as they were setting up to perform. He then burst out of the dirt in his grave, ran off stage and said something to Travis,” an eyewitness exclusively tells Us Weekly. “He was throwing elbows and seemed very upset before running backstage. The crew came and rolled off MGK’s grave and Travis’ huge drum off the stage.”
The insider notes that the drum set had been there for “about 10 minutes” before it was cleared. Kelly, 31, returned to his seat with girlfriend Megan Fox later on in the night. Barker, 45, and Kelly ultimately ended up performing later on in the evening.
The “My Bloody Valentine” rapper, whose real name is Colson Baker, had an up and down night at the awards show.
Before the show began, he walked the red carpet with Fox, 35, but found himself in a scuffle with Conor McGregor. While an early report claimed that the athlete, 33, asked Kelly for a photo and the singer said no, a rep for the fighter claimed that was “totally false” and didn’t happen. The publicist added, “Machine Gun attended Conor’s last fight. Conor appreciates all his fans.”
The Ireland native later told Entertainment Tonight that “absolutely nothing” happened between the men.
“I don’t know the guy. Nothing happened with me, I only fight real fighters, people that actually fight, you know what I mean?” the UFC star said on the carpet. “I certainly don’t fight little vanilla boy rappers. I don’t even know the guy. I don’t know anything about him, except that he’s with Megan Fox.”
Later in the night, the “Hangover Cure” singer was in better spirits as Tommy Lee presented him with the award for Best Alternative for “My Ex’s Best Friend.”
Barker for his part, attended the show with girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian. The couple showed a ton of PDA on the red carpet, kissing and giggling together for the cameras.
