PANAMA CITY, Fla. (Court TV) — A former MMA fighter charged with manslaughter after a deadly bar fight testified on Wednesday that he had no intention of hurting the victim and was only trying to protect his friend.
Ross Johnson testified in his own defense on May 20, 2026. (Court TV)
Ross Johnson, 26, is charged with manslaughter and aggravated battery in the death of Dayvon Larry, 31, who was an airman in the U.S. Air Force.
Johnson was visiting Panama City with friends on April 9, 2023, when they became involved in an altercation with another group at the Coyote Ugly Saloon. What began as a fight inside the bar soon spilled outside into the parking lot. Johnson said he was immediately focused on his friend, John Chester, whom he had previously witnessed getting beaten up before in previous incidents.
“When I turned around, the first thing I saw was Dayvon Larry with his arm outstretched towards my friend, John Chester, pushing him back and pointing at him as he was pushing him,” Johnson testified on Wednesday.
Johnson’s attorney played surveillance video from inside the bar showing the scuffle and its aftermath. Johnson identified himself as standing near two women and walked the jury through the video as he put down a drink and then put his hands in his pockets. “I was just making sure everything was under control,” he said. “I didn’t know what had happened, who had started everything, so I’m just there trying to absorb as much information as I can and just assess the situation to make sure everything was OK.”
Slowing down the video, Johnson told the jury that he saw Larry empty the beer from a bottle in his hand, but the victim kept holding on to the bottle, which concerned him. It was then that Johnson said his attention was turned back to Chester, who had been kicked out of the bar and was now in the parking lot.
“I saw two people putting hands on John Chester, and he was lying in the fetal position on the ground, defenseless.”
Johnson said that when he saw Chester in danger, he immediately ran to help and pushed Larry out of the way. Johnson told his attorney that he believes he only pushed the victim but did not hit him.
Prosecutors pushed back on Johnson’s account, asking him repeatedly whether he remembered hitting Larry. Johnson conceded that he had training in mixed martial arts and a 5-2 record in official fights, and that his nickname was “The Juggernaut.” Johnson also acknowledged that in MMA fights, it’s considered a foul to hit your opponent in the back of the head, though the defendant demurred when asked why the rule existed. “For protection?” he suggested.
“I did what I had to do to protect my friend,” Johnson insisted when pressed on the details of the evening.
After the fight, Johnson and Chester went to their hotel and then left to spend the night with two women they had met at the bar. Johnson admitted that when he left the hotel, he saw police but did not stay to talk to them. “I didn’t know that they were there for me,” he said. “One could assume anything.”
Johnson said he had no idea the victim had died until officers told him. He also said that he had multiple mixed drinks and shooters over the course of the evening and had trouble recalling portions of what happened.
The defense rested its case after Johnson’s testimony.
